


Unmasked

by hopebear



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: Angst, Gen, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-26
Updated: 2018-04-26
Packaged: 2019-02-06 08:14:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 22,262
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12813372
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hopebear/pseuds/hopebear
Summary: V3 spoilers!Anthropologists don't have friends.That was what Korekiyo Shinguji was told. Friends would cloud his mind, and distract him from researching. He was supposed to observe, and that was done best from a distance. He should dedicate himself to his talent, and not let anything get in his way. Especially not friends.





	1. Apart

**Author's Note:**

> !!! There's going to be V3 spoilers in this fic, mainly chapter 3 spoilers, so now you're warned !!!
> 
>  
> 
> Have this Korekiyo-centric fic! It will focus on him, with some side characters along the way, but I don't think I'm gonna make it shippy.
> 
> This is in an AU where the students are technically in the killing game, but they all agreed to not kill each other and instead live somewhat normal lives. 
> 
> And a last thing! This is my first fic, so comments are very appreciated! It's not perfect, but I hope you will enjoy anyways! Thanks for reading! <3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's another average day for Shinguji, but something distracts him.

The morning sun shone through the windows into the academy, revealing dust floating in the air. The hallway was silent, except for the subtle echo whenever his boots hit the floor, creating a calming rhythm. Turning a corner, stepping over a patch of grass that had somehow grown inside the building, and around another corner: the anthropologist made his way through the school. He pushed a set of large wooden doors open, and stepped into the dining hall.

 A wave of noise hit him. The clatter of silverware, loud laughs, and joyful conversation filled the room. He made his way to the table at the center of the room, and decided to sit as far from the chaos as possible. He found an empty seat at the very end of the table. Fit for a king watching his subjects, he thought and chuckled to himself. Or, in this case, fit for a loner who had to keep as much distance as possible. Fit for Korekiyo Shinguji.

 The other students’ talk continued as he sat down at his seat. This didn’t involve him. Not to say that he wasn’t interested, but he would be satisfied with simply… listening. Observing. Closing his eyes, he tried to concentrate on what the students were talking about. Their overlapping conversations seemed to be about everything under the sun.

 “Mmmm- no. Thas swopid!”

 “Kokichi, please do not speak with food in your mouth! It is not very polite to do so!”

 “Himiko, are you tired? You can lean against me if you want!”

 “Nyahaha, so adorable!”

 “Nyeh…”

 “Would you like Japanese or English breakfast?”

 “Don’t call me that. Do you want to die?”

 “N- no! Hey, sidekick, a little help here…?”

 “Ahah, no. You got into this mess yourself, so you can get out of it yourself too.”

 “… Korekiyo?”

 He opened his eyes again, facing Kirumis worried look. Ah. One of the questions was aimed at him. Guessing what question though, wasn’t difficult. So much for observing.

 “Japanese would be excellent, thank you very much.”

 “Alright.” Kirumi walked towards the kitchen. Before disappearing again, she sent him a strange look. Oh well. He was used to that. Despite how well-mannered Kirumi was, not even she could ignore his creepiness. Not that he blamed her. Besides, when people kept their distance from him, they were easier to observe and research. He was an anthropologist after all, researching was what he did best. He went back to listening to the other students’ conversations, this time with his eyes open.

 A moment later, Kirumi returned with a plate in her hand. After placing the plate in front of him, she hurried away. The pleasant smell of food made its way to his nose, and he dug in. 

 

* * *

 

 No matter how many times Korekiyo stepped into his research lab, he was always amazed by the size of it, and the number of things to study. It was breathtaking. Sometimes he would walk around the different levels of the room, as a break from his analysis and research. But right now, he didn’t have time to take a break. Walking over to a desk, he sat down and opened the book that he had left last night. If he worked hard, he might be able to finish analyzing this book by dinner.

 Lines upon lines of knowledge, telling a story of humanity and its never-ending beauty. Eyes scanning every word, bandaged hands turning a page ever so often. Korekiyo was close to finished with the book. He leaned back to stretch, and cracked his knuckles. Concentrating for such a long time took its toll on your body.

 “Come, come! See the divine art that Atua has created!” Angies voice rang from outside his lab. He must have forgotten to close the door completely, letting sound from the hallway enter.

 “Gonta is excited to see! But uh… Gonta doesn’t know much about art, is that okay?” Korekiyo could hear Gonta answer Angie. She must have convinced him to come along with her to her research lab.

 Korekiyo got up and walked towards the door. As he was about to shut it, Angie spotted him. Oh no.

 “Kiyoooo! I was just about to show Gonta my newest painting! Are you also here to see Angie- uh, Atuas art?” She corrected herself.

 “Um, no. I was simply closing the door. I’m afraid I am too busy to join you two. Perhaps another time.” He declined her offer, and closed the door. Making his way back, he could hear Angies voice though the door again.

 “Awww… Korekiyo always shut himself in his lab or room! I wished he would come along, don’t you too, Gonta?” He was finally too far away to be able to hear Gontas answer.

 Back at his desk, Korekiyo tried to focus on his work again, but the words seemed to rush right through his head. Like a cloud on a windy day, his focus had completely left. Without realizing it, he had read the same line five times and still he didn’t remember what it was saying. Rubbing his eyes, he leaned further over the page and tried again. Something about how… No, that’s not right. What did he just read? Nothing seemed to stay. Sighing, he shut the book with a bit more force that necessary. Forget finishing it by dinner, there was no way he would ever do that now. Could his focus really disappear by getting up and taking a short break? Usually that helped him concentrate, not ruin it!

 Ah, well. He could continue later. But what now? He didn’t have much to do, except…

 Knock, knock! Korekiyo found himself outside the Ultimate Artists research lab. The door swung open, and Angies delighted face smiled at him.

 “Korekiyo! You came anyway! Come in, come in! I will show you all Atuas heavenly work!” Angie spread out her arms in a warm welcome, and she twirled on her way back into the room.

 Rather surprised over his decision to come, and a tad embarrassed by Angies greeting, Korekiyo followed her inside. He walked over next to Gonta, who turned to look at him. The entomologist let out a little laugh, and his smiled looked forced. Korekiyo waved rather awkwardly. The air between the two boys was uncomfortable, but Angie didn’t seem to notice at all. Interesting. She didn’t seem to mind Korekiyos company at all, but it was clear that Gonta did. Did Korekiyo intimidate him? But Angie didn’t? While she was still odd, she also had that positive and carefree air around her. Meanwhile, he was dark and gloomy, and stuck out like a sore thumb between the rest of the students. Perhaps if he was more… approachable, he would be liked better.

 But he didn’t need that, right? It doesn’t matter if you’re liked, when you’re not supposed to be a part of the group. He was an anthropologist, he reminded himself. His job was to observe others, and you can only do that from a distance. And he didn’t mind staying in the shadows, that was where he belonged. He wasn’t-

 “Look! Behold Atuas wonders! Most divine, nyahaha!” Angies yell stopped his train of thought, as she yanked a sheet off an easel. Looking proud of herself, she waited for their response.

 Korekiyo wasn’t sure what to think. Looking at the painting sort of gave him a headache. It was filled with all the colours of the rainbow, and the painting seemed to be abstract. He could not see anything but a bunch of brushstrokes. The painting resembled something a kindergartener would make. He scratched his head, looking for something that would show that the Ultimate Artist had made this, but no luck. He had honestly expected something a bit more… beautiful?

 “Do you see it? Atuas message, hidden in the brushstrokes?”

 “I- I’m afraid not. If you explained, though, I’m sure I would understand better.” Korekiyo tried to answer as politely as possible.

 “Gonta doesn’t see anything as well!” Gonta, of course, was completely honest.

 “Really? Let me explain then! It is all of us. I have painted all my friends!” Angie pointed to a yellow area, “That’s me! And that is Kaede, Hoshi, Rantaro…” Angie listed everyone, while pointing to blobs of paint that vaguely resembled them. Her finger touched a big brown spot, “Gonta! And over here… Korekiyo! Nyahaha!” At last she pointed at a long, thin, green blob of paint. That was him? She had included him in her painting of friends? Korekiyo lifted his eyebrows in surprise.

 “Gonta sees it!” Gonta clapped his hands together with enormous force. He seemed to have completely forgotten about his dislike of Korekiyos presence. “Angie is very good at painting, Gonta thinks!”

 “It’s… lovely, yes.” Well, the thought behind it at least was.

 “Thank you, thank you! Atua accepts your praise and blesses you with bonus points!”

 With what? Angies religion worked in strange ways. Of course, Angie herself was strange, so it made sense. She seemed so happy to show her work, though. Korekiyo couldn’t help but feel better after seeing it, even if he still had a headache pounding in the back of his skull.

 Korekiyo looked at the painting for a few more moments. All the colourful dabs of paint huddled together, with the yellow Angie-blob in the middle. Even his brushstroke was a part of the crowd. Huh. So, she saw him as a part of the group? Was that what it meant?

 “Angie, this painting. The people are all someone who you consider a friend, yes? This represents how you view us?” Korekiyo said.

 “Yes and no! It shows how Atua view you! But yes, this is also who I think of as my friends! We’re all divine friends, under the watch of Atua, don’t you see?” Angie laughed and made eyecontact with him.

 “Ah. It surprised me to learn that this is how you- sorry, Atua sees us.” Trying not to break eyecontact, Korekiyo took a step back, “I think I will leave now though. I have some work to do, and besides it will soon be time for dinner. Thank you for inviting me today, Angie. I had fun.”

 “I am glad! Bye-yonara!” Using her odd way of saying goodbye, Angie smiled big. Gonta shifted his weight to the other leg, looking relieved that the strange anthropologist was finally leaving.

 Korekiyo left the lab, and walked through the dark hallway, back towards his own lab. He couldn’t stop feeling like his head was filled with a thick fog, clogging up his concentration. What had gotten into him? Why was he so distracted all of a sudden? He wouldn’t be able to get more work done before dinner. Instead he decided to head to the dining hall a little earlier than usual.

 The dining hall was empty, but he could hear Kirumi preparing food in the kitchen. Soon enough, the rest of the student would start to arrive, but for now he was alone. His seat from earlier would be perfect for observing everyone. It let him watch from a comfortable distance. Angies painting popped into his head. The small dabs of paint, students, entangled with each other. Friends, she had called them. The word echoed in his head, not making any sense. He wasn’t a part of their group. He was an outsider, a loner. He always had been, so why did Angie not see that? He recalled her comment earlier, how she noticed him shutting himself in, and wished that he wouldn’t. And her painting included him. Nothing made sense. He wasn’t supposed to be there, alongside everyone else.

Sitting down in his throne of isolation, Korekiyo Shinguji waited.


	2. Troubled Mind

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Still not able to focus, Korekiyo tries to ignore his conflicted thoughts. Distracting yourself only works for so long.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First of all, thank you so much for the kudos, comments, and bookmarks that this fic already has gotten! It truly means a lot! <3
> 
> Second of all, I needed to learn about tulpas to write this chapter... whoa man. there's more to them than i thought.
> 
> Oh, and some of the character that shows up will not be tagged. That's because they simply don't show up enough that I think they need to be tagged? The actually tagged characters will be showing up later and have a bigger role in the fic.

Giant bookcases towered far above him, filled with so many books that not a single inch was left empty. There were even books stacked on top, although most were untouched and dusty. The books seemed to contain all sorts of subjects too, from mangas to old music books. And those two exact kinds of books were being studied by two girls in the library. Tsumugi and Kaede were standing next to a bookcase, reading every title and picking out the occasional book that sounded interesting. 

Korekiyo Shinguji, himself, sat a few tables away, looking at a book in front of him. Looking, being the keyword. He wasn’t reading it, wasn’t even sure what the book was about. But it wouldn’t be suspicious if he pretended to read in the library, when in reality, he was studying the girls. At dinner, he had overheard them making plans to come down here, and had seen his opening to observe them. This would also give him something else to think about, instead of the confusing stream of thoughts that had haunted him. Angies painting and strange comments got pushed to the back of his mind, and he focused on the two girls instead. He moved a dark strand of hair behind his ear, making him able to hear a little better.

“Ooh! I’ve already reread this at least five times, it’s sooo good! The way the hero saves the day at the end, only to be stopped by…” Tsumugi chattered on about the manga she found, and Kaede giggled at her excitement.

Korekiyo had sat down with his back to them, so he couldn’t see what exactly was going on. They seemed to be silent most of the time, but every now and then they would make a comment about a book.

“Clair de Lune! I pretty much know it by heart, so I won’t need this book… but I must play it for you someday! It’s beautiful, I think you’d like it a lot.” said Kaede, and started humming a melody. It had a peaceful sound, like a promise that everything will be okay. Korekiyo felt comforted simply by Kaedes humming, and he wondered how he would feel if she played it on the piano.

Korekiyo pushed his chair out, careful to not make unnecessary noise. Walking over to the bookshelf with his book in hand, he peeked at the girls from the corner of his eyes. Kaede put down the book she had held in her hands, on top of a small stack of books in front of her. Tsumugi had a similar collection of books, which most likely contained the mangas she had found. Korekiyo put his book back into the empty spot in the bookcase, and pretended to search for another book.

“I think our collection of books is good now. Time to switch!” Tsumugi moved the two stacks around, so that she had the music, and Kaede had the mangas. “We should probably put the music books in your lab? It has the piano, so that would plainly be the only thing that makes sense. And for these mangas… do you want them in your room?” Tsumugi pointed to the mangas.

Hm, so they were switching the books? Had they agreed to try out each other’s hobbies? Tsumugi would play the piano, and Kaede would read the mangas. It seemed to be the only explanation, Korekiyo thought. He picked another random book, and walked over to his “reading” spot. Before sitting down, he sent one last discreet glance at the girls.

“Yes, that would be perfect, Tsumugi! Oh, but there’s so many, we'll need to walk twice to get all the books.” Kaede picked up half of the music books, while Tsumugi grabbed the rest. They started to walk out the library, books in their arms.

“Ah, Shuichi! Rantaro too! Oh, you gave me a huge shock.” Kaede stopped to a halt before crashing into the boys, and put a hand over her heart. Korekiyo spun his head back, staring at his book with an empty look. If he looked any more, it would be suspicious.

“Sorry, Kaede…” Korekiyo could hear Shuichi apologize, as he entered the library together with Rantaro.

“While you’re here, could you help us with something? Can you put these books in Kaedes lab? It would save us a lot of time.” Tsumugi asked.

“Sure!” said Rantaro. Korekiyo could hear that he had his usual carefree smile on as usual, when he spoke.

“Thank you!” Kaede said as sweet as possible. “You’re strong, you can carry all these by yourself, right? I think Tsumugi and I can carry the rest of our books to my room.”

Korekiyo could hear the four of them walk around the room. They were grabbing the books, and left the library. He made a mental note: Tsumugi and Kaede seemed to be close friends with each other. But they were also friends with Shuichi and Rantaro? Not an unlikely group. All of them seemed to have ease at making friends and could get along with the majority of the students. Ah, but naturally that excluded him. He hadn’t ever been approached by any of them.

“… Korekiyo?” Until now, it seemed. Shuichi had walked up beside him. Korekiyo remembered that he did not get any books to carry and had stayed down here. He straightened his back, attempting to look as innocent as possible.

“Yes? What do you need, Shuichi?” He glanced at the boy, hoping that his surprise of being approached didn’t show.

“Forgive me for asking, but… what are you doing in the library?” Shuichi asked, diverting his eyes down to his feet instead of meeting Korekiyos eyes.

“Reading, of course. This is a library after all, or did I walk into the wrong room?” Korekiyos deadpan joke fell to the floor, not amusing any of them. “What did you think I was doing?” He gestured at the open book in front of him.

“You were listening in on the girls, weren’t you?” Shuichi straightened his back, and got a stern look on his face. “I noticed that you turned your head back when I walked in, and you weren’t really looking down at your book. You didn’t flip a single page either.” His fists clenched, making him seem even more tense than before.

“Ah, but what could I expect from the Ultimate Detective. None less than a perfect deduction. Kukuku…” Korekiyo laughed it off instead. Damnit. Shuichi had seen right through him, so there was no point in hiding it anymore.

“Besides…” Shuichi picked up his book and turned it around, reading the title. “why should the Ultimate Anthropologist read a book called Everything Knitted – from socks to sweaters? Unless you have taken up knitting? Are you cold, Korekiyo? Oh, and the book was upside down.”

Korekiyo didn’t have any more witty responses up his sleeve, so instead he stood up. Grabbing the book out of Shuichis hands, he put it back on the shelf. The spine of the book confirmed that it _was_ a book about knitting. 

“I guess I should leave now, I don’t have any more business here. Perhaps I will go by the warehouse and get me some yarn and knitting needles? Kukuku…” Ah, good one Korekiyo... Most charming. Smiling at his own lame joke under his mask, Korekiyo left the bewildered detective in the library.

He knew that this would not help his reputation one bit, but the thought of that also put him at ease. Now he at least knew what people thought of him. Thoughts of brushstrokes, friends, and paint made their way back into his mind. He had managed to keep the thoughts at bay while inside the library, but now they were back. He remembered the weird painting that Angie had showed him, and the confusion it still made him feel. But Angie was strange as well, and she was the only one who saw him as a part of their group. Maybe he shouldn’t worry so much. Shuichi didn’t seem to think of him as a friend, even if the two of them did have a short conversation. Hm. Korekiyo tried to push the thoughts away again, trying not to care so much about it.

He did not go to the warehouse, as he had joked, but instead walked towards the dormitories. Although Shuichi had noticed his reason for being in the library, did not mean that the effort was wasted. He had observed Kaede and Tsumugi, and gotten helpful knowledge about both girls. They were friendly, and passionate about their interests but still humble.

* * *

 Korekiyo opened the door to his room and stepped inside. He was still thinking about his research of Tsumugi and Kaede. They were perfect Friends...

Brushstrokes, friends, paint.

Korekiyo pushed the intrusive thoughts back again. Not that kind of friends! They weren’t for him, he did not need any friends! She did. It was for her, that he did all this. It was all for her. Everything was for her.

“That’s right, Korekiyo.” Korekiyos hand pulled down the mask that covered his mouth, and a feminine voice spoke. “You’re so helpful, always trying to give me more friends. I hope you know how much I appreciate your effort.” His lipstick-covered mouth smiled. But it was not him doing it, it was her.

Her.

Sister!

“I’m glad. I’d do anything for you, Sister.” He spoke in his normal voice, and felt the warmth spread in his chest, until it reached his fingertips. He could sense her arms around him, locked in a loving embrace. The air filled with the scent of the perfume she always wore, like roses and coffee. He wrapped his arms around himself, hoping that if he just wished enough, her arms would be there, holding him.

But they weren’t. Of course, they weren’t. After all, this was only in his head – the smells, the feeling of her arms around him. She wasn’t there, not physically. She only existed in his head. Sister did have a separate mind of her own, but no body. She was stuck with him in his body, but she never complained.

“Sweet, sweet Korekiyo...” His mouth spoke her calming words out loud. His legs started moving, without him ordering them to. She did. Sister walked him to the bed, and sat down. She made his hands comb through his long hair, untangling non-existing knots.

She sometimes did this. Took control of his body. He didn’t mind it one bit though, he would give his body to her in a heartbeat, if it would make her happy. So, he let her take over. It felt like falling backwards into a great sea. The waves hugged his body, rocking him up and down like an infant in its mother’s arms. The water was warm, heated by the sunlight. His body sunk down under the waves, but he could still breathe, even when submerged in the water. It was silent, and he felt comfortable doing nothing but floating in the water, giving her full control.

“So, what do you think about the two girls today? Are they worthy?” Sister asked him. Whenever possible, she preferred to speak through his mouth, like a real person would. But when that wasn’t possible, the two of them could also communicate through thoughts.

“You already know my thoughts, dear Sister. I believe they are most worthy to be your Friends. Both are lovely people, don’t you agree?” He thought to her, using their secret way of communicating. It was one of the perks that a body with two separate minds inside had.

“Yes, indeed! Be careful when sending them to me, though. You should plan this beforehand, but maybe… Not today, Korekiyo. You seem awfully conflicted.”  She noticed that? He had been trying to keep it under check, but nothing slipped under Sisters nose.

“I’m sorry, Sister. I’m sure I will be feeling better tomorrow, after a good night’s sleep.” He apologized. He couldn’t afford to get careless now, not when he was so close to one hundred Friends!

“It seems to be every time you think of friends… Very well, Korekiyo dearest. I wish you a good night’s sleep then, and hope that you feel better tomorrow. We can’t have you getting unfocused now, especially not over anything as silly as friends, right? It would be horrible if you started ignoring me now, I would get awfully lonely…” Sister said. She pulled up the mask again, covering his lips. And then she left him, and retreated to a corner of his mind, where their thoughts could no longer reach each other.

Korekiyo sat on the bed, alone in his body. It was eerily quiet, both in the room and his head. For a couple of minutes, he sat there doing nothing. Finally, he got ready for bed, and laid his head down on the pillow. His hair spilled around him like a dark shadow.

He couldn’t mess up now. She would be lonely forever, if he did. And he had promised her, that she would never feel lonely for another second of her life. He needed to complete this, anything else was unacceptable. Tomorrow he would feel better, and he would start his plan. And soon… He would have one hundred Friends.

Friends.

friends.

Brushstrokes, friends, paint.

He fell into a restless sleep that night.


	3. Heartwarming Stories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A simple encounter changes Korekiyo's way of viewing the world.

When Korekiyo walked into his research lab the next day, he looked even more like a ghost than usual. His hair was uncharacteristically messy, and there were bags under his eyes. If it was even possible, people had been avoiding him more at breakfast than usual. It didn’t help that he had had a staring contest with his breakfast, a dead look on his face. Everyone in the dining hall almost believed he was winning, until he had sluggishly blinked. Slow as a zombie, Korekiyo had left the table without eating, and gone to the fourth floor.

The book laid closed on the desk, like he left it the previous day. Korekiyo flipped back to the right page, as he sat down. The letters on the page blurred and then focused again, taunting him with his tiredness. He was stuck again, with no focus. Sister would be angry with him, if she noticed. Hoping that she didn’t decide to pop by right now, Korekiyo leaned back on the chair. He sighed. This was ridiculous! Angie paints him and calls him a friend, and suddenly he can’t think of anything else? Where was his usual self, always calm and collected? Sister said it herself, friends were such a silly thing to get flustered over.

Like a rubber band snapping, Korekiyo remembered a moment from his childhood. He had been young, and just gotten his ultimate talent. Sister was in the hospital, and he was on one of his countless visits, trying to cheer her up. A chair was pushed next to the clean, white bed, and from there he could hold her cold hand. He had talked about an anthropology story, before he remembered something that he needed to tell her. She would be so excited to hear it! The words tripped over each other, as he told Sister about his friend. He had met her in school and told her a story. She didn’t think his stories were weird, but interesting. They spent every break together, exchanging stories.

Sister looked at him, and her gaze felt like Medusas, turning him into nothing but a motionless stone statue. Then she told him something, that would stick with him even years after, sentencing him to a life of solitude.

“Anthropologists don’t have friends, sweet Korekiyo.” She smiled, and he wondered why that was a reason for being happy. “Friends will cloud your mind, distract you from researching. You’re supposed to observe, and that is done best from a distance.” Korekiyo tried to object, but before he had a chance to, she continued:

“You should dedicate yourself to your talent, and not let anything get in your way. Especially not friends. Do you understand, my dearest Korekiyo?” Now it was her who was holding his hand, gripping tightly around it with her bony fingers.

Korekiyo was shaking as he nodded. Sister knew best, and she wanted what was best for him. He knew that she was proud of him for getting his talent, so he couldn’t waste it on anything. Not even friends. Especially not friends.

The spotless hospital room disappeared, and he was back in his lab. He was an anthropologist now. That meant no friends, living your life from afar where you could see everything. She would be so disappointed in him… but deep inside, he couldn’t deny it. There was a hollow feeling inside his chest, and he wasn’t sure what could fill it out. How do you search for something, without truly knowing what it looks like? He was an adventurer without a map, searching for unseen treasure, but he had gotten lost along the way.

“Korekiyo! Hey, I was looking for you! Shuichi sent me to talk-” Korekiyo turned around to face Rantaro, who had stepped into the room. He had the same careless smile as always, but when they made eye contact, it faltered for a moment. “Are you okay?” His green eyes widened.

“I’m perfectly fine.” Korekiyo ignored his kindness. “What did Shuichi want?”

“Uh- he… Nothing. Shuichi didn’t want anything. Uh...” Rantaro was acting weird.

“If you don’t have any business in here, then leave. I am busy.” He spat out a horrible excuse. Rantaro stared at him for a long time, before he finally collected his thoughts. He looked around the room, and walked over to an old artifact.

“What’s this? Do you know what it’s used for?” He reached out a hand.

“Don’t touch that.” Rantaros hand stopped midair. “It’s an ancient statue. Used for séances.” Korekiyo kept his response short and cold, hoping that Rantaro would catch a hint and leave.

“Wow! That’s amazing, tell me more about it! …Please?”

“Huh? Well, I guess that’s okay.” Korekiyo looked at the statue. It was a dog, sitting atop an iron cage. “The statue is used for a séance called The Caged Child. I have a book on the séance too, but it’s not necessary, as I already have it memorized. To think that I would be so lucky, to have the real copy of it… Kukuku…” He laughed in that creepy way, his eyes shining.

Rantaro nodded, urging him to continue. He looked excited. Did Rantaro also enjoy séances? Had he finally found someone, who shared his interests?! Korekiyo quickly continued his talk, as Rantaro sat down on the edge of the platform that held the Dog Statue.

“The séance requires a dark room. You must make a magic circle, and place the iron cage in the middle. Cover it with this white cloth, and place the Dog Statue on top. If you do all this successfully, you will be able to communicate with the dead.” He talked with a calm voice, that didn’t show how excited he felt.

He kept talking for a long time, spilling everything he knew about the séance. Rantaro sat and listened, flashing a wide smile at him. Korekiyo knew that Rantaro always smiled, but… he wasn’t used to people smiling at him. It was strangely nice. He found the corners of his own mouth turn up, underneath the mask.

“… but that’s just from an anthropological point of view.” He breathed out, only now realizing that he had said everything he knew. He had nothing left to add, everything had been explained.

“… Woah. I had no idea that you knew so much about it! That’s impressive, Korekiyo.”

“Thank you. I pride myself on my anthropological knowledge.”

“I wished I knew cool stuff like that. All I’m really good for is travelling and adventuring.” Rantaro scratched the back of his neck and shrugged.

“Is that so? I’m sure you have some stories from those, I would love to hear about it. I do travel quite a bit myself, as fieldwork. I know myself, that it can lead to some interesting situations.” Korekiyo didn’t want the conversation to end. It was an unusual situation for him to be in, having a lengthy conversation with another classmate. This could count as research, right? He was learning about humans, so it fit under his area of knowledge. He didn’t have to feel bad about talking to Rantaro. Besides… he felt comfortable like this.

“Interesting situations… It sure does.” Rantaro laughed. “Hm. How about the time I went to Canada?” Rantaro started his story about Canada, which included nearly getting kidnapped after arriving, sleeping outside in the cold, and an ill-tempered moose. His adventure had been dangerous, but he didn’t seem to worry. Korekiyo guessed that it was part of his relaxed nature.

“So, there I am, laying in the deep snow of Canada, praying that this moose won’t attack me. What an adventure, right?” Rantaro chuckled to himself. “I mean, it doesn’t compare to the time I went to the Sahara Desert! But that’s a story for another day.”

“You have had quite the experiences during your travels. I must say, your stories are fascinating to listen to. I would love to hear another, someday.”

“An adventure story for an anthropology story? I’d like to hear more as well.” Rantaro sent him another one of his small comforting smiles.

“I accept your offer. Let’s do this again.”

The two of them sat in silence, unsure what to change the conversation topic to. Their lengthy stories had exhausted them both. Korekiyo folded his fingers, a single question on his mind.

“Rantaro. What did Shuichi want?”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“When you first entered, you mentioned that Shuichi sent you to talk. What was that about? You dropped it pretty quickly, don’t you think Shuichi would be disappointed, if you returned without even doing what he asked of you?”

To say that the mood got awkward, would be an understatement. Rantaro put up another one of his normal smiles, that didn’t contain any true happiness. He looked at his feet.

“Well, I kinda regretted that I was going to say it, when I saw you. Anyways, Shuichi wanted me to talk to you about yesterday. Y’know, the library stuff. I don’t really know the details, but Shuichi thought you would send him away, if he tried to talk to you himself.” So that was why Rantaro was here… Not just for friendly talk.

“Ah. I can assure you, it was all a misunderstanding. Nothing happened yesterday.”

“Oh, but I’m not accusing you of anything! Don’t worry Korekiyo. As soon as I stepped in, I changed my mind about telling you.” Rantaro waved his hands apologetically.

“And why was that? What made you change your mind?” Korekiyo didn’t mean to sound rude, but he was curious what Rantaro would answer.

Rantaro waited. Sighed. Fiddled with his necklace. “You looked so… lonely. I felt bad that I was coming here to essentially scold you, and you looked like a small, hurt child.”

Lonely…? But he was never lonely. He always had Sister. So, why had he looked lonely? Truthfully, he didn’t have any friends in the academy, but…

“Anthropologists don’t have friends,”

It was meant to be like this, she said so herself. He wasn’t lonely, he wasn’t some hurt child. Nonsense. It was all nonsense, Rantaro must have misjudged him. That was the only reasonable explanation.

“Korekiyo? You’ve been silent for some time now… Is it because of what I said? Please, forgive me, I shouldn’t have said that.” Rantaro spoke up, crashing his train of thought.

“I was… thinking about what you said, yes. I’m not sure that I agree with your assumptions. I am not some lonely child, hopefully you realize that much.”

“Sorry, that was incredibly rude of me to compare you to that. What I tried to say was- I pitied you. And I’m not sure if it’s some inner instinct from being a big brother, that makes me feel that, but I had this need to cheer you up. To try and make you happy. So I thought, hey, why don’t you ask him about anthropology? And you seemed to love talking about it. We had a nice conversation going too.” Rantaro explained, while scratching off nail polish from his fingernails.

Korekiyo didn’t know how to respond. He really thought all this? Rantaro wanted to make him happy, and enjoyed their conversation? No fake friendliness, or secret intentions. He hadn’t backed away, or thought of Korekiyo as creepy or unsettling. He had genuinely wanted to talk as two friends would, and had liked it as well.

A golden glow erupted within his chest, a warmth so pure he swore there was a sun inside him. Like a blanket of crackling, pleasant fire was put around him, everything was glowing. Soon, he realized that the light came from within himself, his gold coated heart emitted a great ray of sunshine. The feeling filled up his head and widened his lips into a smile. Oh, how he wanted to rip off the mask and show Rantaro his smile, tell him how grateful he felt. How he felt like he was illuminating the whole research lab, even if the radiant light was only visible to himself. Korekiyo couldn’t leave this unfamiliar feeling unsaid.

“Rantaro, I… I’m infinitely grateful that you did this.” His simple words didn’t do the feeling inside any justice, but they were all he had. “I enjoyed our conversation as well, and I appreciate your thought. Does your offer to exchange more stories another time still stand?”

“Of course! I have a ton of stories to tell you, so how about we meet up again… When would fit best for you?”

“Would tomorrow be too forward of me?” Korekiyo asked.

“Nah, tomorrow is fine with me. Let’s meet up in here, at…” Rantaro checked the clock on his Monopad. “10 am? Around the same time as today.”

“Wonderful. I’ll look forward to it.” Korekiyo hoped that his smile reached his eyes, now that Rantaro couldn’t see his lips.

“Awesome. I should get going then, or Shuichi will start to worry.” Rantaro laughed as he got up. He got a pained look on his face, as he stumbled. “Aw man, I can’t feel my ass anymore. I’ve been sitting down for way too long.” He laughed, and awkwardly staggered towards the doors.

Korekiyo chuckled at his choice of words, as he walked Rantaro to the exit. “I’ll see you at dinner then. And tomorrow as well.”

“See ya, Korekiyo!” Rantaro grinned as he left the lab. The doors shut behind him, and an uneven sound continued down the hallway, until it disappeared into nothingness.

Alone in his lab, Korekiyo felt a sunset within him. The afterglow cast beautiful colours, and painted him in pinks, oranges, and gold. Brushstrokes, friends, paint. The words seemed reassuring, almost. He didn’t feel the discomfort of them anymore, but instead recognized a small fragment of the feeling, that they described. He had learned a lot today, about himself, about Rantaro. He felt himself grow as a person, and as an anthropologist. From this tiny encounter, his entire world shifted and grew. With simple words, Rantaro had made him feel something completely new. Something warm and… happy.

Oh, how beautiful humans were. So small and yet so powerful.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, thanks for reading! This chapter took a little longer to write, sorry for the delay!  
> I hope you enjoyed this chapter. <3


	4. Meeting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Korekiyo and Rantaro's meeting did not end up like they expected.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't have much to say except: Thank you for reading, and to all those who leaves kudos or comments: you are the best! I'm so grateful for all the response I've gotten so far!
> 
> I hope you will enjoy another chapter!

Korekiyo got up at the crack of dawn, or as Rantaro would probably have phrased it: the asscrack of dawn. He went through his morning routine, which included spending way too much time putting on all the little accessories he wore, applying new bandages on his arms, brushing his hair with gentle strokes, and applying dark red lipstick underneath the mask. It all took an enormous amount of time from him, that he could have been using to sleep, but it was worth it.

She said this look suited him, and she had sewn this uniform for him specifically. She wanted to wear the lipstick, and have long, neat hair. And he wanted to please her, and keep the lipstick and the knowledge of her hidden under the mask. No one else could know that she was there, or they would try to ruin their relationship. They would try to force them apart, and Korekiyo couldn’t handle being alone again. And she couldn’t either, so they had promised each other: no more loneliness. They would always be together, she would be hidden from the jealous world, only for his eyes too see, for his mind to feel.

Some days Sister would be the one to get them ready in the morning. She liked the feeling of dressing herself up, and making sure that she looked pretty. Korekiyo always thought she looked beautiful, and hated whenever he had to pull up the mask and take control of his own body again. Even if they looked alike, he noticed the slight differences in the way they would act. She always moved with elegance and put her soul into every second of living. And he was awkward and lanky, creepy and looming. People had told him that he moved with grace, but he knew that it was nothing compared to Sister. Those little things all made her that much more beautiful than him.

But today he was left to get ready himself. Was Sister still angry at him? Surely, she would change her mind, if he told her how much he learned yesterday. She was always proud of him for becoming an anthropologist, so maybe this would cheer her up. With those hopeful thoughts, Korekiyo left his room.

 

* * *

 

 

“Good morning.” Kirumi greeted him as he entered. “Are you feeling better today?”

What? Ah- Korekiyo remembered his zombie-like state yesterday. “Good morning! Why yes, today I feel much better. Thank you, Kirumi.” He grabbed an empty seat. This wasn’t his usual spot, but instead one of the seats towards the middle.

Kirumi asked him about breakfast, he settled for Japanese yet again. More students arrived at the dining hall, and as the seats started to fill up, Korekiyo found himself between two empty seats. He ignored it, and instead focused on his food.

“Hey Korekiyo!” Rantaro jumped down on a chair next to him. “Kirumi, would pancakes be too much trouble? Thank you!” He certainly was cheerful today. Then again, Korekiyo was too.

“Good morning Rantaro.” He greeted the boy. “Our meeting today still stands, yes?”

“Of course! Wouldn’t miss it for the world.” Rantaro smiled big. He leaned dangerously far back on his chair, as Kirumi leaned in to set down a stack of pancakes before him. Little cute designs were drawn on with syrup, and the two boys admired Kirumi’s neat handiwork.

“Wow! Exactly how I like them, thanks Kirumi!” He took a big bite, with a dreamy look in his eyes. He looked like he was going to tear up over the perfect pancakes. Who knew that Rantaro would get emotional over something as simple as pancakes?

They continued their small talk as they finished up their breakfast. Korekiyo was done first, and he rose from his chair.

“Well, I’ll take my leave now. I’ll see you at 10, Rantaro.” Rantaro waved when Korekiyo left the dining hall and went to his research lab, their arranged meeting spot.

 

* * *

 

 

He should arrange some chairs this time, sitting on the platforms had been a bit too painful for Rantaro yesterday, Korekiyo thought. He had one chair already, the one from his desk. As far as he remembered, Angie did not have any in her lab, so he would have to go to a different floor. Would Kirumi mind if he took a single chair from her lab? Probably not, she wasn’t that often in her lab anyways, and she would be busy with breakfast still.

After getting the chair from his desk, Korekiyo walked towards the maid’s research lab. According to his Monopad, he still had plenty of time until Rantaro was supposed to meet him. He opened the door to Kirumi’s lab, and entered.

“Ah! … Hello Kirumi.” Surprised to see her, Korekiyo greeted the maid. “I didn’t expect to see you here, else I would have knocked.”

“You did not expect to see me? In my own research lab, Korekiyo?” Kirumi asked. She turned to face him fully.

“… Well. I thought you would still be busy with breakfast. I simply needed to borrow a chair, could I use one from your lab?” Ah, this was awkward. Kirumi was definitely not glad to see him, that much was clear.

“Is it a request? Very well then, I will allow it.” Putter her maid duties over her own wishes, Kirumi agreed.

“Thank you. I will return it as soon as possible.” He went over to grab a chair. It was made of dark wood, with neat details carved into it. It was slightly heavy as well, he noticed as he picked it up, and left the lab.

 

* * *

 

 

When Korekiyo had finished the preparation, which really only included finding two chairs, he checked his Monopad. It was nearly ten, so he decided to just wait. The minutes ticked by, and he found himself feeling slightly nervous, but not in a bad way. He had felt comfortable around Rantaro yesterday, something he didn’t experience with any of the other students. They didn’t feel comfortable around him either, but for some weird reason Rantaro was different. Korekiyo tried to remember all he had noticed about the green haired boy in his research of the students. Friendly, always smiling, carefree, a bit of a daredevil. He had a mysterious aura too, with his forgotten talent that he didn’t seem to care about anyways. Rantaro was everything that Korekiyo wasn’t, so how come they got along? Korekiyo didn’t seem friendly or positive, he wasn’t a daredevil who had done all sorts of amazing things. He didn’t have a cool yet mysterious air about him, just that secrecy that made him strange. What did the two of them have in common? Their love for travels? That was all he could think of. Could that really make out the foundation for a friendship? They weren’t exactly friends _yet_ , but soon they would be.

Anthropologists don’t have friends, because it distracts them from the most important thing: research. But that didn’t matter, when Korekiyo could still observe Rantaro as a friend. Perhaps even closer than usual, seeing things that Rantaro wouldn’t show to anyone he didn’t trust. Observing wasn’t done best by a distance! You would miss thing from a distance, things you can only see if you get close to someone. Yes! That was all true, Korekiyo could have friends! He was still completely able to perceive everything around him, this time only he would do it from within the group. It could work out. It _would_ work out!

As his passionate thoughts faded for a second, he got reminded of why he was waiting. He checked the clock once again. It was now a little bit past ten, maybe Rantaro was late? Korekiyo didn’t know what could possibly have slowed him down, but then again, a school with sixteen ultimates bound to be chaotic. He could wait a bit longer, it was no problem. As long as Rantaro hadn’t stood him up-

The door flew open, and in came Rantaro with an apologetic smile on his face. He carried something weird and black behind him, almost dragging it along, but it also looked like it moved by itself?

“Hello Korekiyo! Sorry for the wait, I decided to bring along-“ Rantaro greeted, slightly out of breath, and pushed the weird thing in front of him. ”This emo ass. Say hi Shuichi!” Oh, so that was why he was late.

“I’m not an-!” Shuichi tried to protest, but Rantaro shushed him. He slowly regained his dignity from being practically dragged here, and stood up straight. “… Hi Korekiyo.”

“Why hello Rantaro. And you too, Shuichi. I did not know you were joining us today, so I’m afraid I only gathered two chairs.” Korekiyo was surprised to say the least. This was not necessarily a bad thing though, he reminded himself. He should have a more positive outlook on this, because didn’t he just tell himself to become a part of the group?

“Oh, you don’t need to, I can leave agai-“ Shuichi turned around, before Rantaro made him spin a full 360 degrees and face Korekiyo again:

“Nooo, you don’t. Shuichi, c’mon.” Rantaro sent him a disappointed look. Like a big brother scolding his younger siblings. Shuichi sighed, but went along with them.

Korekiyo walked them to the chairs he had found, and they sat down. Rantaro quickly grabbed the simpler-looking chair, letting Shuichi have the nice one from downstairs.

“I’ll just go and grab another chair, it will only take a moment.” Korekiyo excused himself as he left, and once again was on his way down to Kirumi’s lab, a floor down.

Arriving before the door, Korekiyo decided to knock this time. He opened the door slightly and stuck his head into the room. “Kirumi? It’s me again, can I… uh. Borrow another chair? I got a bit more company than I expected.”

“Oh, Korekiyo again. Yes, it’s alright.” Kirumi was sweeping the floor now, with amazing precision and speed. The broom made a harsh sound each time it got swept over the floor.

Before Korekiyo could leave with the second chair though, the broom stopped.

“Can I ask you what sort of company you’re having? I didn’t think you were the type to have people invited, and especially not a lot. You’ve kept mostly to yourself, so I’m simply confused by this change.” Kirumi said. He put down the chair and looked at her.

“Well… Rantaro came by my lab yesterday, and we started talking. We arranged another meeting today, and he brought Shuichi along. I know that I am not the most sociable here, and this even surprises me a little, but I get along astonishingly well with Rantaro.”

“Is that so. Well, as long as you’re happy. It is good to see you talk more with the rest of the students.” Kirumi sent him the tiniest of smiles, barely moving the corners of her mouth, but there was a gentleness in her eyes that he hadn’t seen before. Korekiyo remembered how she had helped her previous masters, both with normal maid duties but often also personally. She had made many people improve, and seemed to enjoy the change she saw in him, even if there still was a cool air between them.

“Thank you. Well, I should get back now. Bye Kirumi.” He said, and went to carry the chair out for the second time. The broom started sweeping over the floor again, and behind him the door closed shut.

Silently walking over the dark floorboards of the fourth floor, Korekiyo came to a halt before his lab. The sound of a heated conversation carried all the way out the room, and he put the chair down on the floor. He almost opened the door, before stopping to listen.

“Rantaro, why did you drag me along?” Shuichi’s voice could be heard.

“So you could give him a chance! I promise you, he’s really not as bad as he looks.”

Korekiyo heard a sigh, and then Shuichi started talking again: “Did you see him in the library? He was just watching the girls, like some stalker.” Korekiyo’s grip on the door started to shake. Shuichi misunderstood. He was observing, because he needed to. He had a good reason, but how could Shuichi possibly know that? Shuichi didn’t know him, didn’t know _her_ , so he had no right to call Korekiyo that! He pushed open the door, a little more forceful than intended.

“He’s a creep!” Shuichi didn’t have time to stop his sentence, before Korekiyo had stepped inside, chair in arms, and heard it all. Eyes wide, he turned to face the creep. “Oh! Oh, uh…” He stuttered out.

“Hello again Korekiyo, I see you found another chair!” Rantaro swooped in, changing the subject.

Korekiyo took a step forward, then another. His arms were still shaking, only partly because of the heaviness of the chair. He tried to calm down, collect his thoughts, ignore Shuichi’s rude remarks.

“Get a hold of yourself, sweet Korekiyo.” Sister’s calming voice filled his mind out, shoving everything to the side. She whispered encouraging words in his head, and her hands reached out to hold his still. He put the chair down in front of the two guests, and her hands disappeared into nothingness again.

While Shuichi settled for staring at his shoes, Rantaro sprang into action. He smiled big and signaled to the chair.

“Sit down, and then we’re ready! Do you wanna start by telling a story, Korekiyo?” He asked, trying to cover up the awkward situation.

Korekiyo sat down. “There’s no need to try and change the subject, Rantaro. I heard… enough of your conversation before entering, to understand that you are talking about me.” He burst out, before being able to stop himself.

Rantaro’s defensive smile faded, and he made eye contact with Shuichi. None of them said anything.

“I understand why you would see me like that, but I assure you it is not true. We must have misunderstood each other.” He had to appear composed now. Be polite like Kirumi, approachable like Angie. Friendly like Rantaro. Those character traits were what made them likeable, so to keep his reputation from getting hurt, he should learn from them. He had to deny Shuichi’s idea of creepiness.

“Explain then. Why were you watching Kaede and Tsumugi? It just doesn’t make sense to me.” Shuichi finally looked up, between dark strands of hair. He looked like a storm was raging inside his brain, thoughts and theories whirling around.

“I’m an anthropologist. How should I learn about humans, without observing them?” It was only partly true, but that explanation had to do. Shuichi couldn’t learn about Sister.

“That is true, but… It still strikes me as strange. Are you telling us the entire truth?”

“I’m not hiding anything, Shuichi.” A necessary lie.

“Forgive me, but I know that I am speaking on the behalf of many of the students here, when I say that we’re… suspicious of you. Scared of you, even.”

What? Scared… of him? Korekiyo didn’t understand, but he had to stay calm. Breathe all the way into your stomach. Breathe out. Shuichi continued before he could answer.

“We’re in a killing game, Korekiyo!” Shuichi looked more serious than ever. “Yes, no one has died yet, and we’ve been here for a while, but who knows? Any day someone could strike, and we’re scared of that happening! So, when someone starts stalking the rest of us, it’s not exactly making us feel safe!” Shuichi stood up, nearly knocking the chair over. His attempt at looking authoritative worked, despite Korekiyo still towering over him height-wise. Korekiyo was trembling again, scared of what Shuichi would find out.

“You… you fear me. You are scared that I’m going to snap and kill someone here? That’s… a mere delusion!” Korekiyo yelled. His breathing got faster and faster, until it seemed to shut down. Spreading from his chest, the feeling of being choked reached his throat and mouth. He took sharp breaths of air, that didn’t contain enough air. He couldn’t breathe, the mask tightened around his throat, his entire body shaking.

“Korekiyo? Are you okay?” Rantaro had been quiet this entire time, but he noticed Korekiyo’s panic. Through blurred vision, he saw Rantaro jump out of the chair and step towards him. Rantaro was too close, he couldn’t move, he was tied up from the lack of space.

 _She_ could help him. Sister could, but not in here. He couldn’t let her calm him down here, they would notice. He had to get out. He had to escape, make an excuse. He opened his mouth underneath the constricting mask. But no excuses came out.

“I… am not some vicious murderer! Please- why are you looking at me like that?!” He stammered the words out, between shaked mouthfuls of nothingness and dust. They stared at him with big eyes, far too big eyes, why was everything distorting like that?

“We don’t think you are! Please calm down, Korekiyo!” Rantaro shouted to get through to him, hands hovering purposeless in the air. Korekiyo only heard him partly, as every word sounded like it was said underwater. “Hey! Korekiyo!” Rantaro tried again, but failed this time as well.

Rantaro’s words couldn’t calm him down, the only one who understood him right now was Sister. She could help him, she could make everything okay again, she could fill his lungs with air and his head with sense. But not in front of them. She was for him only, no one else. He turned away from them, hiding his face as he clawed at the mask. He tore it down, and freed her lipstick-covered lips. She took over, breathing heavily.

“Dearest Korekiyo, you must calm yourself. Do not lose composure, but convince them of your innocence.” Sister whispered, only heard by him.

“Y-yes! I’ll convince them…” He whispered back. Allowing himself another moment of her help, he dragged the mask back up and faced the boys again. Air filled his lungs again, and he silently thanked Sister for her care.

“I am no killer.” He steadied himself as he spoke. “I am simply watching because of anthropological reasons. I think that should explain it.”

“Huh?” Rantaro stared, surprised by the sudden change. He backed towards his chair again, but didn’t sit down.

“I can’t possibly imagine why I should kill any of you. I’m not sure what makes you think that.” He looked directly at Shuichi, urging him to explain himself.

“I, uh… It is true that you haven’t done anything so far, but…” For once, Shuichi didn’t have any arguments.

“I understand that there’s not much reason to trust me, since you barely know me. I admit, yes, that I have been trying to observe from afar, but if you let me then I’ll try and integrate myself more. Of course, that also requires the rest of you to stop avoiding me as well. Let’s start with the foul comments about me behind my back, shall we?” Somehow this conversation was turning in his favor.

“Uh- yes, of course! I’m sorry…” Shuichi turned back into his usual insecure self. It was sad to see him like this, but interesting as well.

“I accept your apology. Now, should we continue the stories, or perhaps just split up now? I believe I’ve had enough excitement for one day.”

“Yeah, none of us are in the mood for stories now.” Rantaro fell back into his chair. “Maybe later, though. I still have tons of stories to tell you!”

“I will look forward to them, Rantaro. As for now, I’ll take my leave. Can you return the chair to Kirumi later, if you’re not leaving now, Rantaro?” Korekiyo picked up his own chair again, having never sat down on it.

“Sure! I’ll see you later then, Korekiyo!” Rantaro got a cheerful smile on again, and waved. Shuichi muttered out a goodbye, as he also slumped down on his chair.

Korekiyo said goodbye, and walked out the lab. As soon as the door was shut behind him, he put the chair down without making any noise. Stepping on the spot, he faked walking away. This way they would think that he left, but he could still observe their reactions in secret.

“I think he’s gone now. C’mon Shuichi. Give him a chance.” Rantaro spoke.

“I’m still a bit unsure about him, but… Did you see the way he freaked out, what was all that about? Can we really ignore that?”

“I think he’s just nervous. Remember, he probably doesn’t get accused of murder every day, this must have been a nasty shock.” Rantaro answered. Shuichi didn’t say anything for a long time.

“Besides… I trust him. Have you seen the look in his eyes? That deep loneliness?”

Korekiyo walked away as fast as he could without sound, not bothering to hear what Shuichi would answer. 


	5. Stumble

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Change isn't so bad, Korekiyo reminds himself.

Another silent morning. Korekiyo woke with the sun, letting the rays kiss his face good morning. Both he and the sun slowly rose from their beds, much before anyone else in the academy. Birds started to sing outside, and the melodies filled his otherwise empty head. There were no signs of Sister, no beautiful voice in the back of his mind, and his movements were graceless as ever. He would have to get ready by himself, and spend the morning alone. Slipping the mask down, he lingered for a moment. No reaction from her. He put on a fresh layer of deep red lipstick, the one she always wore for special occasions when she was…

Before. The one she always wore before. Korekiyo shook his head, correcting himself. The lipstick was her favorite and she had requested to wear it. Of course, there was no way he would turn her down, so he always wore it for her. Wore it, so that she could too. Just like she had worn it yesterday, coating her lips as they had comforted him. She wasn’t always there, present in his mind, but he knew that he could count on her to always be there when he really needed it. She had been gone all of yesterday, except for when he had needed her the most. She was always there for him in that way, as he was always there for her. So he would wear the lipstick, in case they needed each other. In case she simply decided to take control, and wished to wear it. It was the very least he could do, make her feel comfortable in his body.

He finished getting ready after a while, and sat down to read one of the books in his room, since there still was time before breakfast would be ready.

 

* * *

 

 

He found himself in the dining hall, seated next to Rantaro again. The other boy didn’t say much, and instead tried to ignore the awkwardness between them, by shoveling food in his mouth. It left Korekiyo alone with his thoughts. His mind wandered, and scraps of a conversation slipped into his head. Yesterday, Rantaro and Shuichi had thought they were alone, unknowing of Korekiyo still standing outside the door. Shuichi had been unsure of what to think, but Rantaro had told him that… that he trusted Korekiyo. And that Korekiyo looked lonely, so much that Rantaro even pitied him. Did Rantaro not think that he could make friends?

Nonsense. Making friends would be easy, when he had spent his entire life observing others do so, in even the gravest of times. All he had to do, was take his knowledge and research of human friendships and use it in practice. Korekiyo closed his eyes, the same eyes that Rantaro had said contained a deep loneliness. That wasn’t true, what loneliness could possibly hide under his eyelids? He had Sister, he always had her by his side. They were never lonely, but Rantaro didn’t understand that. He could keep imagining Korekiyo’s “loneliness”, because it was nothing more than that: imagining. Korekiyo wasn’t lonely, but simply hadn’t needed to make any friends.

Having friends could be beneficial though, and not just for selfish reasons. It would help make him less suspicious, so everyone would feel safer, and he could avoid any more scenes like the one yesterday. It would also give him another subject to observe from a closer range than usual. Making a new friend would help both his reputation and anthropology knowledge. And prove Rantaro wrong.

He pushed the chair out, and searched for his new friend and subject. Ah. Perfect. Time to put his many observations to good use.

“Shuichi.” He stood behind the boy.

“Ah!” Shuichi yelped out of surprise. “Oh. Korekiyo. Uh…” Shuichi halfway turned towards him, but kept his gaze low.

“Did I scare you? I’m awfully sorry.” Korekiyo said. “But I do have a question for you: Would you mind joining me today? Maybe we could talk for a bit.”

“Me? Oh, uh. Yeah, yeah of course. Where?” Shuichi’s discomfort was so obvious, he could practically see a cloud of anxiousness surround the detective.

“Would the courtyard fit? I think some fresh air would be pleasant.”

“The… the courtyard?” Shuichi seemed frightened by the thought of being alone with Korekiyo.  “… sure. I’ll meet you out there in a bit? I just have to finish my breakfast first, if that’s okay.” Shuichi pointed at his food.

“Of course. Meet me when you’re ready.” Korekiyo left him alone, and exited the dining hall.

Shuichi had almost feared meeting him in the courtyard. Why? Did he think Korekiyo would assassinate him out in the open, or what? Ridiculous. Korekiyo much preferred the shadows for matters like that.

Well, the courtyard was anything but dark. Grass surrounded it, long and bright green, waving in the gentle wind. Clouds flew by overhead, standing out against the blue sky. As a grim reminder, the cage above surrounded the academy, never letting anyone forget that they were in a killing game. And at the heart of all that, stood Korekiyo. Trying to ignore his current role as participant, and instead focus on his normal life, as normal as anything got inside this cursed cage.

Lately, life had been anything but normal. Korekiyo liked having routines to follow, it kept things more organized. But the game had forced him to drop all that, messing up everything he thought was set in stone. Every day was a chaos with sixteen unique students trapped in such a small place. Of course, that gave him plenty of reactions to research, and a sense of comfort in doing something he knew so well. A steady rock in the heartless sea.

But if anthropology had taught him anything, it was that traditions change. Humanity wasn’t the same today as it were yesterday, or the year before, or a hundred years before. That was the beauty of it all. Traditions could stay for years, decades, but new ideas and customs would also appear. Change wasn’t bad, he had learned, despite living a life without much of it.

But here he was anyways, watching how Shuichi’s figure walked towards the courtyard. It was painfully slow, and the longest minute later, Shuichi stood before him.

“Hi.” Shuichi greeted, as simple as possible. “You wanted to… wanted to talk to me?” Nervousness was cutting up his speech into short, awkward pieces.

“Hello again, Shuichi. Yes, I do wish to talk to you, but not about any specific topic.” Korekiyo explained, trying to appear approachable. That should help make Shuichi trust him.

“I don’t understand… What do you then want to talk about?”

“As I told you…” Korekiyo didn’t want to lose his patience. “Nothing specific. Let’s chat for a while. That’s all this is: a casual chat between two people.” Like how friends chat with each other, he continued in his mind. But they were not quite friends yet, and he was afraid the comment would be inappropriate.

“Oh. Okay then.” Shuichi waited for a moment. “So…” He trailed off, not sure where to turn the conversation to.

“I did say that I would integrate myself more, so this is my attempt at doing so.” Korekiyo said. “…I figured you would be a good start, Shuichi.”

“That’s good… Uh, but maybe there’s other people here, who would be easier to talk to than me? I’m not very good at keeping conversations going.”

“Yes, there are others here, who are more extroverted. Perhaps they would be easier to talk to. But you already know my goal of socializing more. Besides… weren’t you supposed to give me a chance?” Korekiyo asked.

“Huh? Where do you know that from?” Shuichi’s head snapped up, as he realized that Korekiyo knew more than he should. He stared, then sighed. “Yeah. Rantaro told me to give you a chance. But seriously… You need to stop doing that.”

“Doing what? I’m not sure what you are talking about.” Korekiyo said, tilting his head to the side. Shuichi had a stern tone, without it sounding rude. It was a nice change from the previous hostility.

“Eavesdropping! Not only is it creepy and not helping your reputation, it’s also invading others privacy.” Shuichi said. When Korekiyo didn’t say anything in return, he continued: “You eavesdropped twice yesterday, didn’t you? After leaving and when I called you… a creep. Sorry about that, by the way…”

“You already apologized for that, I believe.” Korekiyo tried not to care about being called a creep, but he wasn’t even convincing himself. “And, yes… I did listen twice yesterday, like you described.”

“I had a feeling you did, but I wasn’t sure.” Shuichi said. The conversation went awkwardly silent for a moment, both boys stumbling over their thoughts, trying to put them into words.

“I’ll stop.” Korekiyo finally confessed. “You’re right, it is… creepy. But… Let’s keep that between us, yes? I fear what the others would think about me, if they were to know it.”

“Okay. I won’t tell them, and you won’t do it anymore.” Shuichi dared a small smile, as they made the deal.

They stood still, looking at each other as their smiles faded. Korekiyo was overly aware of the silence now, and how they were standing in the middle of the courtyard. His hands dangled at his sides, too still for it to be natural. He reached up to fidget with the brim of his hat, twirl his hair, to hold his elbow. Anything to seem more normal, but instead it looked nervous and desperate. He hoped that Shuichi didn’t notice. The seconds stretched out, ticking by way too slow, locking them in the clumsy moment. Korekiyo thought. What did friends do now? How did they continue the conversation?

“Do you- would you like to sit down?” He turned and gestured at the bench behind him, breaking the silence.

Shuichi nodded, and they both sat down. The awkwardness continued, unbothered by their attempts to break it. A minute passed. Shuichi drummed his fingers on the bench. Korekiyo itched underneath the mask.

The two boys saw the academy’s doors open. A figure came out, skipping down the path. Korekiyo recognized the yellow coat and white pigtails. Angie waved as she approached them, humming a chirpy melody.

“Hello Shuichi! Hello Korekiyo!” Angie greeted, smiling big. “What an unusual pair! Are you perhaps here to join Angie in prayer?”

“No, sorry Angie. We’re just chatting.” Shuichi said.

“Awww! Too bad, too bad!” Angie waved again, and continued skipping away.

“She’s a cheerful one, hm?” Korekiyo noted when she had gone out of hearing distance.

Shuichi nodded.

“I do want to talk to more people here, aside from you and Rantaro. Perhaps Angie could be a nice person to try and talk to. I admire her approachability and friendliness.” Korekiyo folded his hands together in his lap, and looked down at them. His hair fell down, hiding his expression. “Maybe I could learn from her.”

“Yeah…” Shuichi chuckled lightly, a hopeful tone in his laughter. “Maybe you could, Korekiyo. Maybe you could…”

When Korekiyo looked up, Shuichi was staring at the sky, a small smile on his lips. Korekiyo laughed as well, once he realized the awkwardness between them had gone away, like dew under the sun.

They weren’t friends, or even close, but they were trying. That was what mattered, both had forgotten what separated them. Shuichi’s fear, Korekiyo’s distance. In the moment they were together, laughing and hopeful. Korekiyo thought it was… beautiful. Yes, it was bumpy and awkward at times, and they were stumbling around making a mess. But it was also wonderful and warm. Korekiyo had never expected to find himself in this situation, just a couple of days ago.

But then again, change wasn’t so bad.

 

* * *

 

 

They had said goodbye, and went on with their separate days. Shuichi went back inside the academy, and Korekiyo went to his room.

He stood in front of the mirror, as he pulled down the mask, revealing his smile.

“Sister…” He called out. She had to hear about this, this amazing discovery! It would improve his anthropological research greatly! She would be so proud of him…

“Sweet Korekiyo, what is it?” She answered, with her melodious voice. She didn’t appear fully, but only used his lips to speak. “Ah, you do seem calmer than last we spoke. Not to mention your moment of panic yesterday as well. Not conflicted anymore, are we? Wonderful.”

“I am much calmer, thanks to you.” Korekiyo answered. Her voice felt like a hug, and he leaned into it. “But I do have something to tell you! I’ve tried to widen my horizon, and attempt to observe from a closer place. I’ve found that being closer to my subjects helps my research.”

“Hm? Is that so.” She smiled. “I have been looking over you, so I’m aware of these… friendships, you call them?” The smile widened into a laugh.

She laughed icicles. Cold, sharp shards of ice.

“Sweetest Korekiyo. Have you truly forgotten?” She asked, snowflakes filling up her mouth. They melted, and water trickled down his chin. He couldn’t answer, or he would choke on the water. So she continued.

“No, no, no.” Her voice playfully taunted him. “This simply won’t do. Let me ask you, have you learned anything new today, from being so… close to your subjects?”

He had forgotten to observe. He’d forgotten to think of it from an anthropological point of view. “N-no. I apologize, Sister!” He said, voice cracking. The shame…

“Straighten your back, Korekiyo.” She took charge of his spine, straightening it before he could. “This proves my point, I believe. Distance will always be the best way to observe. You miss things, if you get too close.”

“So- So, I should stop? I can’t continue talking to them?” He felt like a child, the same way he had felt when she was sick in the hospital. So utterly powerless.

“No. Don’t forget what you promised me.”

“… No more loneliness. You’re… you’re right. I still need to find Friends for you… I mustn’t forget that…!”

“No more loneliness.” She confirmed. “That green haired boy… he said there was a loneliness in your eyes.”

“Rantaro…” He whispered.

“Don’t interrupt. He saw a loneliness in your eyes, Korekiyo. He saw _my_ loneliness, shining through your eyes. You know what that mean, don’t you?” She left him alone again, staring into his own eyes in the mirror.

“I need to hurry… Find someone who is worthy of you… Yes…”

Deep down, Korekiyo didn’t want to stop talking to the other students. But Sister was more important. She only had him. And in the end, he only had her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for being slow with updating this. >_>  
> Work is keeping me super busy, so I haven't had much time to write. 
> 
> Anyways, I hope you enjoy the chapter!   
> And merry christmas to those of you who celebrates it. <3


	6. Worship

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sister is growing impatient, and Korekiyo must try to find someone who can become her Friend.

“Korekiyoooo! Oooh, what are you writing?” Angie’s voice surprised him, and he slammed the notebook in his hands shut.

“… Nothing important, Angie. Anthropology notes.” Korekiyo said, hoping she hadn’t read over his shoulder before he could hide the text.

“I see, I see! Korekiyo is always so diligent.” Angie skipped away again, already bored by his answer.

What a unique, and cheerful girl, Korekiyo thought to himself. He opened his notebook again. Written in it was eight names, all the girls in the academy, in a shakier-than-usual, yet neat handwriting. He held the notebook between two fingers, before picking up a pen from the dining table.

Now was the time to act. No more waiting or stalling for time, Sister was getting impatient. He crossed out a name with a harsh line. She didn’t fit, wasn’t good enough. Crossed out another. Too rude and emotionless. Sister deserved much better than those two, but how about the rest? He thought of Angie’s comment, and wrote down his impression of her next to the name. She could be considered… He hadn’t had enough time to observe every girl yet, but Sister would like Angie as a friend.

He needed to be completely sure though. What if she had a hidden dark side, or a weird quirk? Sister would not approve of him getting sloppy with his research, and giving her girls that weren’t the very best possible friends to have. He should talk to Angie first, try to provoke her a bit and observe her reaction. Her response would surely be beautiful, and reveal her true colours. Then he could decide, if her colour scheme fit with Sister’s rainbow.

Just yesterday had he wished to talk to her like two friends would, but today he knew better. He had been so… foolish. Yes, foolish was the right word to describe his childish wishes, but those were in the past. Now he had cleared his head, remembered what was most important. Sister. And he was being a horrible brother, ignoring her wishes and feelings completely. What she had said yesterday was correct. Talking to everyone hadn’t helped him in the slightest. It felt wonderful in the moment, but he did not learn anything from it, did not gain anything. If he spoke, it should be for the sake of research. If he spoke to Angie, it was only to learn if she was worthy of Sister. If he had any other intention buried deep within him, _he_ would be the unworthy one.

Angie sat between Himiko and Tenko, chatting along. Would it raise attention if he approached a student at breakfast, two days in a row? And if Angie turned out to be a perfect Friend for Sister, he would rather not have been seen talking to the girl that died. It was better to wait, and visit her later. Korekiyo ate the last of his breakfast, and left discreetly.

He went back to his dorm, and pulled out his Monopad. The map feature was highly useful, and informed him that Angie had not left the dining hall yet. He watched the small pixelated versions of everyone, running around like tiny ants in a big anthill. Gonta was inside his lab, Kaito just left the dining hall, Miu and Keebo were walking together towards their labs. Angie’s sprite stayed inside the dining hall, still next to Himiko and Tenko. Korekiyo turned off his Monopad again, and took the notebook out from his chest pocket. He looked over the notes. He hadn’t talked and observed enough, to know for sure if any of the girls were fitting candidates. So why not start from the top of the alphabetical list, and pick Angie? He would have to be quick though, if she didn’t qualify as Sister’s Friend, he would be pressed for time to research yet another girl.

Sister had told him off for getting so close with the students, even if he insisted it was for research. But when he forgot to research when talking, it was clear that she knew best, and his idea was thoughtless. Observing would be the best way to learn, but if he wanted to get quick results, he had to directly speak to Angie, and provoke her a bit. He whispered an apology to Sister, and promised that he would keep his head focused on the task at hand, instead of his silly delusions and daydreams. Then he checked his Monopad again, and found Angie in her dorm, across from his own. Slowly, he exited his room.

It didn’t take much time between him ringing the doorbell, and Angie sticking her head out a crack in the door. When she saw Korekiyo, she opened the door fully, and stepped out from behind it in a dramatical manner.

“Hello!” She said. “What does Korekiyo want?” She put a finger to her lip, and glanced upwards.

“Hello, Angie.” Korekiyo over his shoulder before continuing. “I’m not interrupting anything, am I?”

“No, not at all! Angie just returned from breakfast.”

“Kukuku… Perfect. I’d simply like to talk for a bit. Nothing serious.” He then added.

“How divine!” Angie walked back into her room, leaving Korekiyo to close the door after himself.

The room was like Korekiyo’s own, but Angie had put her own touch on everything. There was various sketches and small figures laying around, along with art supplies everywhere the eye could see. Yellow pieces of fabric, that very well could be Angie’s spare coats, were draped over chairs, on the walls, and covering oddly shaped sculptures. The room was a mess, but Korekiyo couldn’t complain. His own room had also grown messier over the last couple of days. Would Sister be alright with someone as messy and disorganized as Angie? Well, it could be worse.

“It is prayer time soon. Would Kiyo like to join? Atua would be so happy, you would probably get ten percent off your next purchase!” Angie said, clasping her hands together. She sat down on the bed, legs crossed.

“I would- what?” Korekiyo sat down as well, furrowing his brow. “No… I’m good, thanks.”

Angie frowned for a bit, before getting distracted again. “Kiyo has such long hair! It is so pretty, can I braid it?” She reached out for a lock of his hair.

“Please, do not touch my hair.” Korekiyo said, holding a hand up to stop hers. His hair was a memento of Sister, and Angie shouldn’t be allowed to touch it like that. Braiding it was downright disrespectful!

“Aw…” Angie pouted.

“In fact, please do not touch me at all. I’m afraid I don’t like having my personal space invaded very much.”

Korekiyo took a deep breath, and tried to compose himself. The roles had gotten switched and he ended up being the provoked one. Time to switch back. He was here with a goal, he shouldn’t forget that. He needed to change the subject, preferably to something Angie was passionate about.

“Could you tell me more about your island? Does everyone there also worship Atua?” Korekiyo asked. He figured that Atua would be a good topic for a conversation.

“Do you wanna know more about Atua, Kiyo? Angie can teach you!” She said, lighting up at the mention of her god. “Everyone on Angie’s island believe in Atua! Angie has told them all about Him, and now everyone makes blood sacrifices to please Him!”

“Hmm… Blood sacrifices? What is the reason behind that?”

“Atua said so! He needs to know that everyone is really dedicated, so I asked everyone to do offerings, if they didn’t want Atua to curse the entire island!”

“You asked them? You do often mention that Atua speaks to you.” Korekiyo said. So far, nothing too bad. The blood sacrifices weren’t ideal, but they seemed harmless enough.

“Atua made Angie His oracle! He tells me His divine teachings, and everyone listens to me when I share His holy words. It’s my duty to share His messages, and their duty to do anything He tells them to!” Angie laughed.

“An oracle, how interesting.” 

“Yes, yes! Angie is grateful to be the divine oracle, cuz if she didn’t have Atua to talk to, she would be lonely! Nyahaha!”

“Lonely, huh?” Perfect. Korekiyo smiled under the mask. “I know just who you should meet then, to stop you from ever being lonely again.”

“Hm? Who is that, Angie wonders… Nyahahaha, it doesn’t matter as long as Atua accepts them!” Angie rocked up and down on the bed, in a restless manner. She looked at him, wondering about something.

“What is it, Angie? You look like something is on your mi- hmph!” Korekiyo’s question got interrupted, when her hand reached towards him again. It landed on his mask’s zipper, and her small fingers stopped his lips from moving. Korekiyo flinched, but just before she could zip open the mask, he had snapped his head away, hiding his face. The sharp turn of his head had made the zipper open halfway, before Angie let go, and he shut it again before facing her.

“Unless you wish for me to tear out your nerves, do _not_ _touch my mask._ Understood?” He asked. Each word stayed the same volume. but with a subtle growing rage within.

Angie’s eyes widened, and she quickly nodded her head. She stayed silent, her big blue eyes unmoving, barely blinking.

She was still, too still. Had he gone too far? He should… he should apologize. But, this was what he wanted, wasn’t it? To provoke her, see her reaction. This was his goal all along, so why did it feel so horrible? Korekiyo took a deep breath, pushed his regret out of the way and continued.

“I do not like it when people try to touch me, without my explicit permission. You do understand a no, don’t you?” Calmer now, he continued fishing for a reaction.

“… Angie understands a no! I get lots of no’s and I understand them all!” Angie said, springing back into her usual self. Korekiyo had a feeling she was lying, and wasn’t actually used to taking no for an answer.

Angie took this surprisingly… well? It was strange that she did not react worse than she did, but it was better than a lot of other reactions, Korekiyo thought. Maybe Angie was worthy of becoming Sister’s Friend… He did not have much time left, so this amount of observing would have to do.

“Atua told Angie to look under your mask! So it wasn’t Angie’s fault, I only do what He tells me! Atua apologizes!” Angie said.

It sounded more and more like one big lie. Why should a god apologize, and why were she blaming Atua? Korekiyo grew more and more suspicious of Angie’s confusion between Atua’s will and her own will.

“I accept you- Atua’s apology then.” Korekiyo got up from the bed, and looked down at her. “I think I will go back to my room, then. Goodbye Angie.”

“Bye-bye Kiyo!” Angie waved, still sitting on the bed. She looked tiny in the big yellow coat, guilt still on her face despite her attempts to cover it with a smile.

Korekiyo closed the door behind him, and walked across the dormitory, to his own room. He had exited quickly, but he hoped to also get some time to plan today. They were in a killing game, and everyone was already scared and alert, so there was no room to be careless. If he killed Angie, he had to make sure that no clues were left to trace back to him. He was almost at a hundred… he couldn’t fail, not now!

With closed eyes, he thought of Sister. “I’ve found someone who is worthy…” The whisper left his lips, and a faint chuckle sounded in his ears. She was pleased with his effort. 

“Very good, Korekiyo. You finally started listening to me, instead of acting like a disobedient younger brother.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy new years! 
> 
> As always, I hope you enjoyed the chapter.


	7. Waver

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Korekiyo has a plan. But he hesitates.

Korekiyo had never used a sickle before. A knife, yes. Swords? Many times. He had even used rope, and poison to stop them from breathing, though he preferred blades. There was something so vulnerable about the back of the neck, only taking a single stab to ruin. A shiver ran down his spine as he thought of the blade, just before it pierced the skin. Pressing down, then entering, all in one elegant move. Compared to the feathery touch of a sword, choking and drowning seemed brutal. The struggle for air, clawing at their necks, wide eyes as they realized death was unstoppable. No, Korekiyo far preferred a swift cut, hidden in the nape of their neck.

That’s why he stood in the warehouse, shelves filled with everything you could ever wish for, twirling a sickle between his fingers. It was simple but graceful, the curved blade shining under the light. It was a small weapon as well, and would be easy to conceal. Perfect for the plan, he now had spent days trying to work out. Korekiyo rolled up his left sleeve, and unbandaged part of his arm. He held the blade against his skin, feeling the cool metal tickling his arm. With little force, he pressed it down and punctured the skin. A faint gasp left his lips, then turned into a pleased smile. The sickle was easy to wield and use, flowing through the skin until a drop of blood rolled down. Korekiyo removed the sickle again, ignoring the pain in his arm from the small injury. Pulling the mask under his chin, he licked the blood away from his arm, a metal taste on his tongue.

With his bandages back on again, and the sleeve down, he looked around. He would need something to hide the blade with, before someone noticed him with a weapon in his hand. Looking around the warehouse, he found nothing. Simply carrying a piece of fabric would be unusual, and nothing else could properly conceal the sickle.

Korekiyo had planned to approach Angie, when she was in her lab. It was placed close to his own, allowing him to hide and wait, and everyone could enter. What would be a normal thing to bring to her lab, in case someone saw him walking between the two? Perhaps a painting. Not a strange thing to cover with fabric, or out of place in either of their labs. He remembered having seen both at her lab before as well. And on the back of the canvas, the sickle would fit perfectly in the hollow part.

Korekiyo pulled his Monopad out, checking the fourth floor. No one was there, as always. People mostly kept away from the creepy hallways, and only two labs were on that floor. There was still the risk of running into someone on his way there, so he would need to hide the blade anyways. He pulled up his jacket, and put the sickle against his stomach. It only showed slightly against the thick fabric. The sharp edge was touching his skin, threating to pierce if he tried to lean forward. It wasn’t ideal, but he would have to make do with it, before getting a canvas.

Arriving on the fourth floor, he silent expressed his gratitude for not meeting anyone. The sickle kept barely grazing him, but nothing serious happened. Escaping into his own lab, he let the sickle fall out from under his jacket, into the palm of his hand. He laid it down, and studied his poor stomach. The blade had left small cuts everywhere it could, although they were barely scratches. Nothing to care or cry about. Leaving the sickle, Korekiyo headed towards Angie’s lab instead.

Just like her room, art supplies flooded the room. Unfinished works stood alongside messy completed projects, even if it was hard to differentiate between the two. A canvas leaned against the wall, mostly covered with a cloth except for the corner, which appeared blank. How convenient. Korekiyo grabbed both, and looked at them. If he put the sickle on the back of the canvas, it wouldn’t stick out, just like he had theorized. A roll of duct tape laid on the ground, easy to miss or fall over. If he used the tape to secure the sickle into place, he could also remove the tape fairly easy. Else, removing the sickle with force and possibly ruining the canvas wasn’t a problem either. Angie wouldn’t have time to miss it. Korekiyo grabbed the tape together with the covered canvas, and left before anyone could notice him.

The canvas laid face down on the sheet, with the sickle placed inside, like the final piece of a puzzle. Korekiyo placed a strip of tape over it, and stepped back to look at his work. Wonderful. Now, all he had to do was wait until the perfect opportunity, then… strike! The thoughts went through his mind, as he hid covered the weapon again, and hid the canvas behind a display case.

 

* * *

 

Korekiyo had paced back and forth for the last couple of hours. Every couple of minutes he checked the map, but to no avail. Angie did not go to her lab. He had considered spending the time by studying, but even that he couldn’t keep focused on. At times, he had nearly pulled down the mask to talk to sister, but he decided against that too. She wouldn’t want to be bothered unless he had finished the task at hand. There was no need to tell her what was about to happen, she had already waited far too long for it.

He grabbed the Monopad again, a familiar move by now. Empty. The device landed on the table again, as it got tossed aside in favor of his pacing. The plan flew through his head, memorized by now. He would bring the painting, visit Angie. When she turned her back to him, becoming vulnerable, he would act. Grab the sickle, stab the middle of her neck, where the hair had been pulled into her two pigtails, open and exposed. A suicide note could have been left, but the wound in her neck would be too strange of a place to stab. None of the remaining students would be convinced that she did it herself. And though it made him one of the possible suspects, he would not give up his way of killing, in favor of a less beautiful death. The neck was his personal touch, and should not be changed.

Monopad, nothing, pace. Monopad, nothing, pace. Monopad, nothi- Angie! The little sprite indicated her presence in the room, finally she was alone right where he wanted her! Korekiyo put the Monopad aside, and instead picked up the covered painting. Murder weapon in arms, he left the lab, and rushed down the hallway. Time to make a move.

Standing outside, staring at the door, he gathered his thoughts and courage. He had done this many times before. He was so close, so very close to one hundred! Angie would not sense anything wrong, and she was an easy target. He breathed in, breathed out. Laid a hand on the door, ready to knock. But he hesitates.

“Kiyo?”

Clutching the painting close, he turned to face the new voice. At the end of the hallway stood Gonta, with an innocent expression.

Damned. What curse had been placed upon him, to be this unlucky? If Gonta ruined his chance, he would be sure to remove a nerve or two from the big entomologist. He closed his eyes and sighed silently.

“Hello Gonta.”

“What is Korekiyo doing here?” Gonta asked slowly, with an uncharacteristically scepticism. He walked closer, fiddling with his sleeves.

“I’m only delivering this painting to Angie, that is all.” Hopefully that would make Gonta’s interest fade.

The opposite happened. Worst-case-scenario. Gonta took a large step towards the painting and pulled off the sheet before Korekiyo could stop him. They both looked down at the painting, and Korekiyo felt the relief roll over him, seeing that the sickle was turned away from Gonta’s sight. The relief dwindled quickly though, as he saw what painting he was really holding.

The cloth had been covering a very familiar painting, and the boys both recognized it as Angie’s painting of the students. Gonta smiled when he saw the mass of colour, and Korekiyo cringed as he remembered the message of friendship.

Brushstrokes, friends, paint.

No! No, no, no…

Korekiyo was over the painting, he was over his delusions of trying to make friends. So why did his mind yank out old memories, and his stomach turn at the mere sight? He had to forget about the friends, Sister told him to do so. And Sister had praised him, because he had dropped the childish dreams, so why, _why_ , were they coming back now?

“Kiyo?” Gonta asked again, softer this time. “Is Kiyo okay? Looks upset.” He tilted his head, and raised his eyebrows. His expression twitched a bit, like he couldn’t quite decide if he should feel bad.

“I’m… fine.” Korekiyo covered the canvas again, and gripped hard around it.

“Huh? Gonta doesn’t understand why Kiyo is sad. Gonta isn’t smart enough to know. But!” Gonta stood tall, with a now determined stare. “This painting means that we are all friends, and Gonta know that he should try to help cheer up his friends, because that’s what a gentleman would do!”

Korekiyo wished he wouldn’t use that word. He wished that the painting had been any other painting. He wished that Gonta hadn’t noticed him.

But wishing could not change the past. It was a trivial thing that humans did, wanting to change history. It gave them a bit of hope, because maybe, just maybe, things would change if they wished enough. But it was only superstition. No amount of wishing had the power to ever change anything.

“Come with Gonta! He will cheer Korekiyo up!” Gonta grabbed his arm, more forceful that necessary.

“N- no! I still have to- Gonta! I should deliver the painting!” He protested, finally making Gonta stop.

“Oh. Kiyo could have just said so.” Then Gonta took the painting and knocked on Angie’s door.

“N- no… Gonta just go, I’ll deliver the painting myself just fine.” The objections grew weak and faint. He could still grab the sickle, he still had a chance if Gonta would just… leave, and not stick his nose into another person’s business.

Gonta ignored him, and instead turned his attention to Angie as she opened the door. She looked back and forth between them, then at the cloth.

“Gonta and Kiyo? What is this?” She asked.

“Korekiyo wanted to deliver this to you!” Gonta thrust the painting into her arms. Korekiyo could only watch as his plan got ruined.

Angie’s big eyes were unblinking as she held the painting. With her small hand lifting up the cloth, she peeked at the painting, then smiled big.

“Ah! It must have gotten lost, but Korekiyo brought it back! Thank Atua!” she said. “But Angie is in the middle of a very important sculpture, and Atua will not be interrupted anymore!” She proceeded to slam the door in their faces, leaving Korekiyo to mourn his plan.

He… still had a chance. He could come back later, then grab the sickle. If Angie stayed in her lab, and didn’t notice the sickle, he would still have time… He would come back later, finish what he had to do. Had to… for Sister.

Korekiyo got pulled out of his thoughts, when Gonta once again gripped his arm and pulled him along. Legs nearly collapsing under him, he struggled to keep up. Gonta was surprisingly fast at going down stairs, taking two steps at a time. _Who took two steps while going down the stairs?!_ Korekiyo thought, every time he was close to falling over. Now on the second floor, Gonta headed straight to his lab. He only stopped when they were both standing in the idyllic room, surrounded by grass and bugs. Disgusting.

Korekiyo could of course recognize how important bugs could be, anthropologically speaking. But he, himself, did not care for the small creatures in the slightest, and found them both repulsive and scary. Luckily the bugs were all properly contained, or dead in frames on the wall.

“So… Why is Kiyo so upset? Please explain to Gonta!” He asked.

How would Korekiyo even start to explain? How could he possibly? He rubbed his temples.

“I… I’m afraid, I can’t explain it. I’m sorry, Gonta.” If he was lucky, Gonta would drop it. Lately though, he had not been able to rely on his luck much at all.

“O…kay. Gonta don’t understand.” Gonta answered, not pressing the issue further. “But, gentlemen should cheer their friends up, so that’s what Gonta is going to do!”

Gonta shifted his weight uncomfortably a couple of times. “Uh. But Gonta doesn’t know how. Sorry. Painting says that we’re friends, but Gonta don’t know Kiyo at all. Are we really friends if we don’t know each other?”

“I wouldn’t call us friends, Gonta.” His voice got oddly shrill at the mention of friends. “It’s true, you do not know much about me.”

“Uh... Gonta knows…” He trailed off. “Korekiyo likes anthropology!”

“Kukuku… That much is true, yes.” Korekiyo said. “I have been wondering, Gonta… Sometimes you call me ‘Korekiyo’, and sometimes you call me… ‘Kiyo’, is it?”

Gonta nodded slowly. “Yes. Is it okay?”

“… Yes, I’ll accept it.” Korekiyo didn’t mention how warm it truly made him feel. “Angie does it as well, but I just noticed that you would switch between the two.”

“Gonta heard Angie call you ‘Kiyo’! So Gonta wanted to too… Because we’re all friends… right? That is what Gonta has been told.” Gonta looked down at his feet. “Gonta didn’t know… if Kiyo was okay with Gonta using ‘Kiyo’ too…”

“Do not concern yourself, it is quite alright. I know that my name is a mouthful to pronounce for some, so feel free to shorten it up.”

“Okay!” Gonta smiled, before returning to the silence between them. They once again remembered how little they knew about each other.

But that didn’t matter, did it? Korekiyo wasn’t here of his own will, or here to know Gonta better. He had plans… ruined plans. If only he hadn’t hesitated, he could’ve made it inside and finished what he started. Why did he hesitate? That had been the fatal flaw of his plan, his defeat. The truth was, he had gotten weak. Weak and pathetic, but he had not seen it himself. Of course, Sister knew, and had tried to help him, remind him what he was supposed to do. But in the end, he was still pathetic, hesitating when he needed to act. He wouldn’t hesitate anymore, it had to end.

“Gonta. I do have… plans, right now. So, if you’ll allow me, I must take my leave now.” Korekiyo said.

“No!” Gonta looked intense, then full of shame. “Sorry, Gonta didn’t mean to shout. But Gonta can’t let Kiyo leave now, you’re still upset! Gonta can see you’re unhappy.”

Huh? Did his concern show that clearly, even when hidden under a mask and the shade of his hat? Body language was a difficult thing to hide, even if one could keep their face neutral. It looked like there was no running away from this, no matter how hard he struggled. Korekiyo gave up on his escape attempt.

“Would Kiyo like to look at bugs? Gonta has lots of bugs that he can show!” Not leaving any option, Gonta dragged Korekiyo over to his wall of insects.

Korekiyo could feel his legs falling asleep, as he listened to Gonta talking. The insects were from all over the world, and Gonta knew unbelievably much about each unique one. It was fascinating, Korekiyo admitted, even if he did not care for the creatures. Some of them were bright and colourful, even pleasant to look at, while others had too many legs in Korekiyo’s opinion.

But Gonta loved them all, and it showed through his voice. Korekiyo recognized part of himself in the speech, it was similar to how he sounded when he had the chance to talk about anthropology. Without pause or falter. Both could speak for hours it seemed, about their own favourite topic. The interest in Gonta’s voice was passionate enough to convince Korekiyo to listen just as passionately. He hoped his own voice had the same effect on people.

They looked at butterflies, then lightning bugs, and at Korekiyo’s request, skipping quickly over the spiders and centipedes. Gonta found boxes with alive examples of the bugs, luckily he never asked if Korekiyo wanted to hold one.

The hours went by, and Gonta interrupted himself when his stomach growled furiously. Only then did he realize what the clock had become.

“It’s dinnertime...? Oh no, Gonta talked for too long! We will be late!” He cried out.

“We should head down to the dining hall then, I’m sure the others will only get more worried if we wait. Besides, it was delightful to head about your insects, Gonta. I think you succeeded in cheering me up.” That much was true, Gonta had made him forget all about his problems. It was a nice feeling, the carefreeness.

“Yes, let’s go eat!”

When they both left the lab, Gonta made sure to wait for Korekiyo this time.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, I'm just popping by to say thank you! For reading, and commenting, and giving kudos! This fic now has over 100 kudos and nearly 1000 hits! I never thought that many people would like my writing, so thank you all so much for reading! 
> 
> By the way, I'm gonna go ahead and answer some comments now! I do read every single one and treasure them in my heart, haha! But I'm a bit shy, so I'm not the best at replying! But I do love every single comment that I get, and they motivate me so much!
> 
> Hope you enjoy the chapter! 
> 
> psst.. the fic is now over 15k long! woah


	8. Retry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Korekiyo is determined to fulfill his duty.

The guilt grew and swelled up to the rhythm of his steps. His mood had already changed drastically from the carefree mood in the dining hall, where he had arrived late with Gonta, to the guilt that now laid heavy on his shoulders. It finally bubbled over when he was in the safety of his own room, and had a clear view of his own foolishness. Carefree. He scoffed. That feeling was a luxury that he didn’t deserve. He had had a clear plan over how he would kill Angie, but in the end, he had failed. A failure like him should not feel carefree. It was not right, he should apologize for his mistakes. Korekiyo prepared himself to face her disapproving feelings, and pulled down his mask.

“Sister?” He called out into the room, voice shaking.

Her presence warmed up his body, as she slowly lowered him into the ocean of her control. She owned every part of his body now, they had fully switched places. She crossed her arms, in a much more graceful way than he would ever be able to. Hair laid itself to rest on her arms and chest, like small waterfalls of dark water.

“Korekiyo.” Sister clicked her tongue in disappointment. “That did not go as planned, did it?”

“N-no.” Forced to admit his mistake, Korekiyo tried to at least tell her how sorry he felt. “I apologize, Sister. I was close, but I… got interrupted. Please know, that my apologies are most sincere!”

“Oh, do not worry. I can feel the guilt crawling on your back, clear as day. I…” She considered her next words. “…forgive you. You were interrupted, you say. Yes, by that inelegant caveman. At least he tries.” She laughed at Gonta’s lack of grace. He let it slide, even if he wanted to defend Gonta.

“But, Korekiyo dearest. You do realize that this isn’t over yet? I know you do, I have heard your thoughts. You can still finish your plan. The sickle is ready in that girl’s lab.” Sister tapped her fingers on a table, admiring the bandages.

“That’s… true. I apologize, Sister. I will complete my duty.”

Sister lingered as if she wanted to say something, then left again. Right before she disappeared, a pang of emotion hit him. Impatience? Anger? But she had forgiven him, so as long as he was successful next time, it would be fine. Wouldn’t it? It was natural for her to feel that way, so he shouldn’t concern himself about it. Emotions changed quickly, after all.

Their brief talk did not make Korekiyo feel any better about himself, but it did make him determined. He balled his hands into fists, before stretching every finger as far out as it went. They would soon have to wrap around the sickle’s handle, and it was important that they didn’t falter or appear clumsy. The bandages were still neatly in place. He wondered if he would have to change them afterwards, in case they got stained by blood.

According to the Monopad, Angie was in her lab. No one was near this time. The puzzle pieces were all in their correct place now. Korekiyo walked out from his room, with the mask back on.

 

* * *

 

 

This time, he had learnt from his mistakes. He had barely stopped before his hand was knocking on the door. An odd formality, considering what he was trying to accomplice. Even if he was fulfilling a plan of murder, he couldn’t bring himself to barge in. At least there was no hesitation this time. Only the long wait, before Angie finally opened the door, and he stood facing her. This was the third time he had visited her in her lab. Many people would see this as a lucky thing, and believe that he could not fail this time as well. Of course, he wouldn’t. It was simply unacceptable. Third time’s the charm, and even if he did not particularly believe in the superstitious saying, he had to make it true.

“Kiyo again!” Angie said when she answered the door. “Thank Atua for your wonderful gift earlier!” Hm. So Angie thanked her god, and not whoever had gifted her. How fascinating.

“You’re welcome Angie. Could I come inside?” Korekiyo started walking past her, before she had a chance to answer. He wouldn’t have let her deny anyways. Nothing could stop him now.

“Oh… Yes, yes! Kiyo can see the sculpture that Angie mentioned earlier!”

“The… very important sculpture.” Korekiyo recalled her calling it that. An idea formed in his head. “Yes, please show me.” When she would turn to look at the statue, he could do it. A swift step forwards, then impaling her neck. It could all be done in a single beautiful move. 

“To be honest… Angie was struggling to complete it. Atua must have art block! But thanks to Kiyo’s gift,” She gestured at the canvas, leaning against the wall, not far from Korekiyo, “Angie could complete it!” The canvas was so close, he could grab the sickle when she turned away. His fingers itched, but he tried to calm himself, so she wouldn’t grow wary of him.

“Your own painting inspired you to finish your sculpture? That must be the effect of the Ultimate Artist’s work…” he wondered, mostly to himself.

Angie shook her head, and instead showed him the sculpture: a white form, resembling nothing. Like most of her work, he didn’t understand it. She picked up a chisel and mallet.

“Nonono! Not that gift. Angie used a chisel and mallet at first… but I didn’t like how my work turned out! Then Kiyo and Gonta visited, as a sign from Atua! And Kiyo gave Angie a sickle!”

Oh. Oh no. That couldn’t possibly be happening. Angie tossed her chisel and mallet aside, and picked up the sickle, that had blended in with the mess around her. Korekiyo hadn’t noticed it at all, but he could now see, that it was undeniably the very same he had brought. Angie must have found it, even though it had been hidden. What would he do now? How could he possibly get it back now? Korekiyo feared that Angie knew of his ill intentions, a hidden weapon would make anyone suspicious, right? Was there even a slight chance for him to complete this? He pressed his eyes shut. Of course there was a chance! There had to…

Angie continued, unbothered by his internal monologue: “Angie did not know why Kiyo wanted to give her this. They are used on my island, but I wasn’t sure if Kiyo knew about that. So instead, I thought it must be a holy gift from Atua, Himself! He intended to help Angie with the art block, and provide me with a new art supply.”

“I- I don’t think sickles are art supplies…” Korekiyo stammered out, unsure if he could still save the situation from going completely wrong. “I didn’t give you a sickle though… I gave you the painting, did I not?” He would have to lie, if he wanted to protect his innocence.

“Nonsense, Kiyo! Do not be humble, this means that Atua trusts you with His holy gifts. This is a very big honour, okay?”

A big honour… this was all a big mistake, a plan in shambles. Korekiyo wasn’t sure if he had even an inch of honour left in him. He should’ve resisted a little harder against Gonta. He should’ve entered her lab immediately. He should’ve made a plan b. He should’ve, should’ve, should’ve. But his own confidence had led to him to fiasco. Sister would… be disappointed, no, angry. Furious, maybe. Sister… would be lonely. No… He wouldn’t allow that. He promised her. No more loneliness! This was his final chance. He had to turn the tide!

Wait. Steady... He never killed out in the open, with the risk of being seen as he struck down. If he moved slowly, but gradually towards her, he could approach and kill without her even noticing.

“Can I see that sickle?” He asked, while moving closer like a snake slithering towards it’s unsuspecting prey. He had his narrow eyes on the target.

“Hm? I guess that’s okay.” Angie laid the murder weapon and her life in his hands. His fingers barely quivered at the contact. He had to take control of the situation, and there was no space for doubt or insecurity. He had to kill Angie, it wasn’t a hard decision.

“… Interesting. I’ve never seen this used for creating art before. A truly unique result.” Korekiyo said, gripping tight around the handle.

“Yes, look at the amazing art Atua made! Angie was surprised too!” Angie sang, and turned on her heel, not sensing his determination. A fatal move.

She had her back to him, seeing nothing but the sculpture. Now! Time to act. One step, then another. He slid close enough to reach her, became one with her shadow. Finally! The blade rested in his palm. Raising his arm up, he aimed. The small, delicate part of her neck was bared. His eyes gleamed. Finally, he would complete his duty. His hand hovered in the air, ready to strike. Then he swung down.

 

* * *

 

 

Then he swung down! Then he…!

Korekiyo couldn’t move his arm.

He struggled and fought for power, but his arm was unmoving, until gravity took over and left it falling to his side. The sickle fell from his grip and crashed to the ground. He barely heard the sound of contact.

… Why? Why couldn’t he move? He was paralyzed, like the victim of Medusas stare. But it wasn’t fear paralyzing him, was it? This was sheer routine! A quick matter that should’ve been solved a long time ago! His hands weren’t shaking, just… still. Unnaturally still. Through unstable vision he saw the sickle by his feet. The room swirled around him, weird shapes and colours that he could not seem to understand. Blood rushed in his ears, nearly deafening him.

“-iyo? Kiiiyooo! You dropped the sickle! …Kiyo?” He could see Angie out the corner of his eye. She had turned back towards him, now seeing him in this sorry state.

He wanted to answer her, but he couldn’t speak a single word. Everything was too overwhelming. It didn’t make sense… He had been ready. Only a single slash was needed and yet he couldn’t do it.

“Is Kiyo okay?”

No. No, he wasn’t okay. He was a horrible failure, undeserving of Sister if he could not grant her this tiny wish. Why had he not completed it? Did he not love her enough? That wasn’t true… He loved her, he wanted to help her. He wanted to do this, so why, _why_ couldn’t he? Killing was such a simple task by now. And yet, his impure body had fallen, weak and fragile as it had grown to be.

“Korekiyo!” Angie yelled now, but he continued to ignore her in favour of his own distress.

The ground came closer. …Or was he perhaps the one who got closer to the ground? Spirit broken, his dry eyes kept staring at the ground. It _was_ closer. He had fallen to his knees. Then the trembling came. From head to toe, he trembled, earthquakes running through his body. His neck closed together, making it harder to breathe. Choking on air, he laughed to himself.

“Ku… kuku… ku.” The laughter broke his silence. This was strangely fitting. A mess like him, who couldn’t even kill a single girl for his lover. It was only right that he was kneeling on the floor, unable to breathe properly or stop shaking. If he believed in a God like Angie’s, he would have been praying to be saved right now, but the only one who he treasured to that degree was Sister. He could not ask her for salvation, for he didn’t deserve it. He didn’t deserve her, or her love. Perhaps he should just stay there, kneeling in the dust. There was nothing to be gained from clasping his hands anyways. There was no forgiveness.

“Ki- _yo!_ ” Angie’s yell finally broke through his mist of desperation. Her voice grew squeaky as she pronounced the last syllable of his nickname. “You’re scaring me!” Her wide eyes looked desperate now.

He stared at her, wondering what he looked like from her point of view. But there was no clear reflection in her glassy eyes, blinking once, twice. He was scaring her? Perhaps she knew what fate she had just escaped? No… There was no way she would’ve noticed. Why was she afraid, then?

“Get up from the floor! You look weird!” Angie took hold of his arm, and tugged on it with all her strength, like a toddler throwing a desperate tantrum. Her effort was wasted, though, as he stayed on his knees.

“Kuku…” His voice was weak, and threatening to break any moment. “…Weird, you say?” What had then changed from people’s usual view of him? That was normal, the usual.

“Yes! _Weird!_ You’re sitting on the floor, and… and laughing weirdly!” Her lip quivered. “That’s not normal… That’s not how Kiyo usually is...”

The room spun, and he rose from the ground. Slowly, he matched her in height, then loomed far above her short body. Underneath the mask his face was contorted into a wide laugh. Angie stepped back, her mouth and eyes open. He stared at her through spiralling eyes.

“… Don’t you see? I’ve always been like this… a… a disappointment…” He hugged himself tightly. “Haah… ahah…” Dropping his usual unique laugh, he ran a hand through his hair, creating knots. Failure, failure, failure.

“Wha- …what do you mean?” Angie said.

“I’m a… a disappointment. To…” He stopped himself before he could say anymore. This wasn’t right, he shouldn’t talk about Sister. She was his secret. He had to control himself! Korekiyo picked at a split end in his hair. He… he might be a failure, but he couldn’t just spill his heart to anyone. He couldn’t save the situation; the damage was already done. Angie had already seen him acting out of the ordinary, so all he could do was try and not make it any worse. If that was even possible for someone like him, who was undoubtedly already scraping the bottom of being horrible. A horrible lover, little brother, and frie-

A horrible lover and little brother. That was all…

“Angie doesn’t understand…” Angie held her arms close to her chest, looking small and fragile like a leaf on the wind. “Why… is Kiyo acting so strangely… Did Angie do something? Did Angie do something wrong again?”

“… huh?” Do something wrong? How… truly ironic, when he was the one who was doing something wrong. “…What makes you think that?”

“I don’t know!” Angie’s voice was shrill, and cut through the air as she yelled them out. “Is this… my fault?” She then asked, voice quiet this time.

“Your fault…?” She was not at fault, Korekiyo thought, he was. Weak and useless and a failure. Someone who couldn’t even kill a girl… it was his fault. It was all his fault. If only he had been stronger, or he could continue to blame someone else. Then it wouldn’t hurt so much, failing over and over again. But when _he_ was the one to deny Sister a new friend, when _he_ was the one who kept her lonely… That was the painful truth…

“No… It is not your fault.” He tried to steady himself, to make the room stop spinning.

Angie took a deep breath, then opened her glossy eyes again. “… Okay.” Korekiyo could tell that she still had something on her mind.

He should… he should leave. There was no reason to stay in the lab, when the sickle had already fallen to the ground, now laying there abandoned. Angie was still close to tears, for a reason he didn’t understand.

Korekiyo straightened his back, and took a deep breath. He didn’t feel so breathless or shaky anymore, so he would be able to make it to the dorms without problems. Then he would take from there. One step at a time. That was all he could handle right now.

“I… Goodbye Angie.” He turned his back to her, and marched out. Small sniffles and sobs echoed into the hall from the open door. The questions swarmed his head, and clouded his vision.

Why was she sad?

And even stranger, why did he have a sinking feeling in his gut, when he heard her cries?

And why couldn’t he kill her when the opportunity had finally been there?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry this chapter is so late! It gave me some troubles while writing.  
> But I hope you enjoy the chapter nonetheless! 
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	9. Surface

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sister takes control.

His steps echoed in the abandoned hallways of the Academy. Unruly tufts of grass and weeds cast shadows on the cold walls, when the light hit them from outside the windows. Pushing the grand doors open, a cape of sunlight framed his shadow. Korekiyo squinted against the sudden radiance, then faced the ground, letting his hat shadow his eyes. The door closed behind him, sealing his damaged hope inside the building. He walked towards the dormitory, looking down at his feet. Before he had the chance to stop, he collided with someone else.

“Korekiyo! Look up while you’re walking, okay?” Shuichi sent him an innocent smile, playfully scolding him.

“Oh- of course. I apologize for not paying attention.” He briefly answered, then tried to step around Shuichi.

“Hey, hey, are you okay? It’s sort of unusual for you to act like this…” Shuichi grabbed his shoulders, turning him so they made eye contact.

“I’m perfectly fine, Shuichi. Don’t worry." Korekiyo only wished to shut the conversation down. His meeting with Angie had been a pitiful failure, and it had drained him completely. He was barely keeping himself together, but according to Shuichi’s concern, that was starting to fall too.

He attempted to soften his expression, to something resembling a smile. Just like how Rantaro would always smile, even if it was a mask to hide behind. Well, everyone had their masks, Korekiyo thought, something to hide behind. Even he. Although his physical mask wasn’t so much of a hiding place, as the distance that he had kept.

“If you say so…” Shuichi sighed and let him go, dropping the subject. For now.

Grateful for the quick encounter, Korekiyo hurried inside the dormitory, and towards his own room. The door swung open, and an empty room laid before Korekiyo. He had made it back to his dorm, without too much trouble. At least he could do that, even if he was useless at everything else. Wrapping slender arms around his own torso, he hugged himself so tightly, hoping to keep all emotion out. But his hands trembled against his wish, and the grip faltered.

Any moment now...

Sister didn’t take control of his body this time, like she usually did. Like sunlight through wispy clouds, or perhaps rather a dense fog creeping closer, she became visible. She stood before him, and the siblings stared at each other, seeing themselves mirrored in the other's appearance. She had chosen her own body, beautiful and mysterious, visible only to him. Why? Was his body not worthy of her? She had always preferred to reside in his physical body, over her own barely existent one.

"Hmhm..." She chuckled, and reached out her silvery hand, cupping his face in it. Her fingers were soft, and her nails sharp, scraping against the fabric of his mask. "I can barely see myself in you anymore."

"S-Sister? What do, what do you mean?" Korekiyo checked himself for imperfections. Had he forgotten a part of the uniform? Was there a stray hair? He found nothing.

"Oh, you still look like me. But you don't act the way I've taught you. What a careless student you've become. You used to be... calm, logical. Dedicated to your studies and your sick sister. Oh, but what a change. The student has abandoned their teacher, and for whom? Your so-called friends!"

Korekiyo took a sharp breath. "But- I haven't! I haven't abandoned you, I'm... I tried. I tried to kill the girl... But-" He looked down.

"But you failed, didn't you? How should failure be a sign of your dedication? I’m having trouble following your thoughts, Korekiyo dearest."

"... You're right." He corrected himself. She was right, of course she was. His simple mind didn't see it, but she had always been right, hadn’t she? “I’m sorry, Sister.”

“Korekiyo…” Sister embraced him, her cold arms holding him close. Calming down, he closed his eyes and rested in her hold. He could smell the pleasant perfume, and hear her voice whisper right next to his ear: “Sorry isn’t enough. I think you need to be taught a lesson.”

He froze as she pulled away from the embrace. Her serious eyes pierced his, no mercy left in her voice. He stumbled as she let go of his arms, before regaining his footing again.

“What… what do you mean, Sister?” Shivers ran down his back.

“It’s only fitting. You didn’t complete this simple task, and you didn’t listen when I warned you. From the start, I knew this would be bad for you. So how do I make you learn?”

“I-I don’t know.”

She laughed. “Of course, you don’t. You’re too dependent on me to fix your messes.”

Before his wide eyes, her form dissolved again, as quickly as it had appeared. Korekiyo had barely stared at the empty spot for a second, before his hand involuntarily reached up and tugged his mask down. Just like she always did, when staying in his body.  

“Did you miss me?” Sister joked, after making her presence clear.

He fell backwards, into the sea of her control. The waves were icy and vicious, threatening to wash over him any minute. Sister had control of every part of him now, and he did nothing but watch idly.

She looked around her, then strode to his bathroom door. In there, she walked to the sink, and turned on the cold tap. Water filled the sink up, until it overflowed down on the floor, making the soles of his boots wet.

“I’m sorry, Korekiyo. I don’t enjoy having to do this, but I fear it’s necessary.” Sister looked at their shared reflection in the mirror. Then she forced her head down, holding it under the water in the sink. She drowned him, and her sorrows, her regret over trusting him, a useless and sorry excuse for a brother.

The water surrounded his face, similar to the way he felt like he was floating in an ocean, whenever she took control of his body. Only when he sank into the ocean, he realized that Sister had given him control of his lungs and mouth back. Bringing his thoughts back to reality, he remembered his situation. What a brutal way to die… Head being held underwater until your lungs give in, and you gasp for air… Korekiyo felt lightheaded as the lack of oxygen started to kick in. He deserved all of this, so what was the point in struggling? He should just lay still, and let the water flow through the fabric of his mask, waiting for the tiniest opening to enter his lungs.

Why fight?

There was simply no reason.

He had already failed too many times. There was no way Sister would ever trust him again.

 

Would ever love him again.

 

Lay still.

 

Accept your end.

 

Face death.

 

Korekiyo gasped for air, when his instincts finally took over.

The water made his eyes burn, as they flew open at the realization that his mouth was now filled with water. He fought for control of his own body. A twitch went down both arms, defying her firm grasp of their will. Then, channelling his panic to survive, he moved his little finger slightly. The rest of his hand followed suit. Soon, he lifted his hand, grabbed the edge of the sink. Korekiyo fought to push himself above the water, struggling to get a grip on the wet surface.

He deserved to die?

No, that’s wrong!

A small piece within him longed for life, to survive this even if he didn’t deserve it.

He pushed his face above water and screamed.

“I refuse! I refuse to-“ Being shoved under water once again, he didn’t get to finish his cry of  rebellion.

Hands growing bloody from digging into the sink, desperately grasping for something, anything, that would allow him to lift his head above the water. Legs trembling under him, as Sister fought back and battled to keep him in place.

“Stop being selfish!” Sister’s voice shouted inside his head. He had never heard her voice tremble like this. She was barely recognizable. “Why should you get to live, when I don’t?! Why do you have friends, when I don’t? You don’t deserve any of it! You’re nothing but a selfish, useless brother!”

Even so! He had reasons to survive, further reasons than to keep her happy. He had other people in his life now, who didn’t keep him around for their own gain. And so, he resisted her control and forced himself above the water for air. She plunged him back in, a new wave of anger giving her strength.

“You could have given me friends! Why should you be allowed to have friends, when I can’t have any?! I’m so lonely, Korekiyo!”

Water splashed over the sink, as he thrashed around. The blood from his hands and arms had coloured it a vague pink. Korekiyo tried to get up for air, but her control was too strong. He choked on water, and felt his lungs crumble up and scream for air. He shook his head wildly under the water, like a stubborn animal. Above the surface, his hands tried to help. But she overpowered him.

“Why are you resisting? Stop it! Just stay still and- and let me do this!”

Korekiyo slowly moved his head up, towards the surface. At this rate, he wouldn’t reach it in time. But he had to! It couldn’t end here. He was still stuck in this awful school, and things had just started changing for the better. He wouldn’t allow Sister to take that away from him now. He was done with letting her control him! This had to stop, he had to break free!

As his vision weakened, and the world went black, he continued fighting to live. Pressing his head up, as she was struggling to hold it underneath the water. Bubbles escaped his mouth, and flew to the surface with ease. He dug his hands underneath water to cover his mouth, support himself on the bottom of the sink, anything that could make him survive. He wasn’t dying today. He would not die by her hand.

“P-please! Korekiyo lay still!” Her shrill voice hurt his head, making the hairs on his neck stand on end.

“Korekiyo…” Sister sobbed now, a faint whisper inside his head. She cried quietly as she held his head under the water. If only he could’ve seen her face, then perhaps he would know what those tears meant. Frustration, grief? Sadness, or even regret? Korekiyo couldn’t be sure. He hadn’t heard her cry in so long…

The water kept seeping through his fingers and deep into his lungs. It was so, so cold… He closed his eyes to the complete darkness…

Korekiyo pulled his head upwards, and – finally! He broke through the surface of the water, and felt the air against his skin again. He breathed in, thankful for the feeling of air in his lungs again.

Sister screamed again, frustration in her voice.

His legs trembled under him a last time, until Sister gave up her control, and they gave out. He fell to the floor, and laid in a puddle of bloody water. Pushing himself up on his elbows, he coughed out the water in his lungs. Sister didn’t control any part of his body anymore. He had completely rejected her. Korekiyo rested his head on the cold tiles, and looked up at the ceiling. The lamp shone brightly, creating dark spots in his vision.

“You… you cannot control me anymore!” He yelled out into the air above him.

No response came, instead the only sound was his heavy breathing. All of a sudden, he became oddly aware of his situation, and the empty bathroom around him. It was so silent and empty. The only sound was his own breathing, and the water flowing from the tap. Dripping came from the water that overflowed the sink, and leaked onto the floor.

Korekiyo wondered if anyone had heard him fight and thrash around. Had a student in the dorms heard his yells? Would anyone rush to help him?

He felt incredibly alone, as he laid still on the floor, too exhausted to move. Sisters usual warmth was gone, as if she had left completely. His head felt so empty, without her constant presence. Was she gone… for good?

Korekiyo couldn’t remember the last time he was truly alone. He couldn’t remember when he had last been the only mind living in his body. It felt like an eternity since she died, since he welcomed her into his head.

And now… that time was coming to an end. He was alone again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> aaaaah! I'm very excited to finally release another chapter! I'm also incredibly sorry for the long wait... I haven't had enough time and motivation lately to write, but I'm hoping it'll change soon!
> 
> I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Thanks for reading!
> 
> edit: oh yeah and credit to my discord gremlin friend lottie for telling me to kill kiyo. thanks lottie, without you kiyo wouldnt have nearly drowned in this chapter.


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